Take Me Away
by Nataly Ravenlock
Summary: The magic that binds Hogwarts together is beginning to crumble away. Its only hope for survival is in an ancient, obscure potion created by the Four Founders. Those chosen to brew it will have to resolve their differences before time runs out.
1. Life's Little Idiosyncrasies

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Scholastic Books and Warner Brothers.  I, therefore, own nothing.}

Author's Note:  Before we begin, I wanted to explain this fic.  I've been introduced in the world of pairing Hermione Granger with our dear Potions Master, Severus Snape.  Unfortunately for me, a little plot bunny soon appeared with its own ideas for the aforementioned duo.  It then decided to bounce around in my head and do what bunnies do best (multiply).  So this is a result of that bunny.  The title, Take Me Away, is the name of track 9 on the Stanley Climbfall album by Lifehouse, which I have been listening to since a few days after Christmas.  I don't know how far this fic will go.  I originally wanted to finish Into The Flames first, but I figured getting this out would make work on that easier.  Continuation will come on basis of the reviews it receives.

**Chapter 1**

**Life's Little Idiosyncrasies**

"No! For the last time, Albus, absolutely not!  A Snape does not work with anyone unless they have good reason to!"  Severus Snape was becoming incredibly frustrated at the Headmaster's attempts to persuade him into working with another person on an extremely important project.

"It is not that I think you cannot handle the work alone, my dear boy.  I know the extent of your talents quite well.  It is more of two brilliant minds being able to produce more results than one."  Albus Dumbledore did know Snape nearly better than the man knew himself.  He had figured that the Slytherin would object to the idea at first, but would eventually give in with some persuasion.

"Brilliant?  Ha!" Snape gave a derisive snort.  "I doubt you could find someone else of my capacity that would even be of any small assistance to this project of yours."

"Yes, that is absolutely true," Blue eyes twinkled merrily behind the half-moon spectacles.  "I know there are few people who would willingly work to your level, but fortunately for you I have located the perfect person to do so."

Snape plotted quickly as Dumbledore mentioned this.  He created quick plans for making whoever this person was completely miserable by working with him.  It would be the easiest way of getting out of this mess since he couldn't exactly refuse.  "Allow me to meet this person and do a personal interview before we begin work.  I will have to test his worthiness."

"Wonderful!  I will contact her so you may begin work immediately."

Severus stopped dead in his tracks as he turned to leave the office.  Had Albus said what he had thought?  "Did I hear you correctly?  I could have sworn you said 'her'?"

Dumbledore hid his amusement well.  "Yes, I did indeed say 'her.'  Do you have any difficulties working with a female colleague?"

"No, not at all," Snape lied.  Of course he had difficulties with women!  They were absolutely impossible to work with, much less research with.  "If you could, contact her and set up a time in which we would be able to meet to discuss ideas."

"Is tomorrow fine?  Around noon, at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"That would be agreeable.  Good night, Albus."  Snape left the office, feeling relatively pleased with himself.  Food at the Leaky Cauldron was always delicious, even if he would have to share a table with an annoying female.

He could think of few women who were skilled with potions that he might consider even remotely close to his talents.  They were all extremely unremarkable people with absolutely nothing compared to him.  What they knew about potions was a small amount in contrast to his vast working knowledge.  It was almost pathetic that Albus would try to pair him up with one of these imbeciles to work on the classified potions project he had in store for them.  The old man had promised to reveal everything in full detail later, but all Snape knew was that it was something dealing with a potion created long ago, by the Founders themselves.  Why did the old man find it necessary to be so frustrating?

Snape growled menacingly at a passing student.  He was almost too glad he no longer taught Potions at Hogwarts.  After the war, Dumbledore had given him leave to pursue his own path in life.  The only reason he had stayed at Hogwarts had been for self protection and to keep himself in better regards in Voldemort's mind.  But with the Dark Lord officially gone, he was free to do what he wished.  He still came back to visit Albus once in a while, though the visits were growing shorter and farther apart.

He had set up a laboratory in one of the Snape Estates where he could experiment freely with what he wished.  The house, if it could be called such, was large and unoccupied, therefore perfect for his uses.  The Ministry still owed him compensation for his work with the Final Battle and funded his research as long as he reported back to them once in a while.  It was all he could have ever asked for: peace and quiet, no screaming children who understood nothing, and perfect freedom.  It was the happiest he had been for a while.

Naturally, of course, Albus wanted to change things.  He had offered Snape a job that he couldn't resist.  The potion that the Headmaster had mentioned was one of the most obscure and difficult mixtures in existence.  Severus was not completely certain of its properties, which was most likely why Albus had given him the task.  To be truthful, no one was familiar with the so-called Founders' Potion.  Albus had asked, and he had accepted, albeit unwillingly.

Then when things were going perfectly fine with the concept of a new project, Dumbledore had added the idea of having a two person team working on the potion and that ruined everything.  Severus Snape was a loner by nature.  He despised people and people hated him in return.  There had never been anyone whom he was close to, including his parents.  Being a Slytherin didn't help, since the snakes were naturally untrusting individuals.

To make matters worse, Albus stated his partner was a woman.  Women, for some strange reason, simply did not like him.  Who ever this one was would probably be no different than all the rest.  It would make the whole experience of recreating a magnificent mystery much more unpleasant than he had hoped for.  He supposed that worrying would do him no good and sleeping would be a better option.  Finding the unused, lit fireplace, Snape Floo-ed back to his estate and tossed and turned through a night filled with haunting dreams.

Morning did not come quick enough.  Severus awoke at eight, seeing no need to sleep any later or arise any earlier.  He took a quick breakfast in his study and reviewed his notes on his current project.  It could be postponed for a while, he supposed.  Thankfully, the Ministry was also sponsoring Dumbledore's project.  At quarter to twelve, he Floo-ed to the Leaky Cauldron.

The serving room was packed with people.  It wasn't necessarily a surprising thing, but it bothered Snape more than it should have.  He detested large crowds.  That probably came for spending countless years teaching and dealing with loud, obnoxious teenagers.  He spotted an empty chair at the bar, deciding to wait for whoever was meeting him there.

Severus looked over the people in the two other seats before approaching the stool.  The first was an older man with scraggly, gray hair and a full beard, probably a ministry worker needing a drink before returning to work.  The other person couldn't have been more of a complete opposite.  He found her much more interesting than the first and studied her for a quick moment.  From what he could see from his position, the woman seated there would at least be pleasant to sit next to.  She was a brunette with long hair pulled back in a high pony tail and wore a skirt that showed off nicely shaped calves.  Maybe this lunch wouldn't be so bad after all…

He sat down on the empty stool and Tom automatically gave him his 'regular,' one glass of fine brandy.  Snape sipped his drink appreciatively, feeling the pleasant burning sensation it gave him.  He noticed the woman glance over at him and go back to her drink.  It figured.  One glance was usually all the females would give him.

"Hello, Professor," she spoke up, surprising him.  He guessed that she only wanted to greet him so he wouldn't hex her later for not doing so.  He glared at her, looking at her face, attempting to put a name to it.

"Good afternoon, Miss…"  He couldn't put a name to her.  She had probably been a student only a handful of years ago when the war was in full swing and he hadn't the time to memorize student's names.

"Granger, sir, Hermione Granger," she replied with a slight grin.  She honestly had not expected him to remember her, even if she had been the class know-it-all.  Hermione had blossomed in the past few years, looking very different from how Snape would have remembered her if he had.  She had been almost scrawny in school with no perceptible feminine curves.  Thankfully, she had only been a late bloomer and her body had filled out quite nicely since then.

Snape was shocked even though he didn't show it.  Potter's obnoxious, bushy-haired friend had become quite an impressive female specimen, if he could say so.  He wagered with himself that she was still obnoxious despite the differences physically.  "Very well.  Good afternoon, Miss Granger."

Hermione gave another grin that continued to stun her ex-Potion's Master.  "Shouldn't you be at Hogwarts, Professor?  I thought school was already in session."

"You aren't as observant as you used to be, Miss Granger.  I gave up teaching two years ago."

"Oh," Hermione had remembered something about his retirement, but forgot about it until now.  "I'm sure your presence at Hogwarts is sorely missed, sir."

"The brats are probably much happier without me teaching them."

"Don't be so sure of that.  You were the only teacher who inspired me to do something with my life other than Professor McGonagall."

"Oh? Is that so?" he queried, wondering what in the world she was talking about.

"Well, Professor McGonagall assisted me with becoming an Animagi during the war.  She worked directly with me on the transformation process."

"And what did I do?" he reluctantly questioned her, taking a sip of his brandy.

"You showed the wonders of potion making."

He narrowed his eyes.  "And that has what to do with anything?"

Hermione's grin changed to a smirk that did not suit her very well.  "I chose to study Potion making after I graduated."

Snape paused, mulling over what she had just told him.  Hmm… Maybe he did have an effect on his students after all.  One of the most brilliant students Hogwarts had ever taught decided to go into the Potions field.  He trailed off, realizing what he had just figured out.  He couldn't be absolutely certain, but he did have a hunch that he needed to resolve.  "I assume you are doing research now, Miss Granger?'

"Of course!  I'm currently working with the Experimental Potions Department in the Ministry.  The work is completely amazing!  I never knew there were so many uses for some of those ingredients we used to discuss in class," she trailed off noticing Snape's face begin to darken.  "Did I say something wrong, sir?"

"No, Miss Granger, you did not.  I finally figured out what Albus was talking to me about yesterday."  The old fool had decided to pair him and Granger together for this project.  He rarely admitted that she was brilliant to anyone even though there was much truth in saying so.  She was annoying to some degree and a Gryffindor to make the situation worse.  At least she wasn't some ugly, decrepit hag.

"He didn't mention who it was you were going to be working with, did he?"

"Perceptive as usual, I see.  Two points to Gryffindor.  You are correct; he chose not to mention that I would be working with you, only that I would be working with someone of my caliber who happened to be female."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully.  Dumbledore had contacted her about the project a few days before.  She naturally accepted his offer, even if it meant working with Snape.  "I don't think that I am quite at your level yet."

"At least you admit it, unlike some of the other insipid individuals who call themselves 'Potions Masters.'  Even at your young age, I would not be surprised if you already surpassed some of them."

"Was that a compliment?"

Snape thought for a moment.  He hadn't meant it that way, but if that was how she wanted to take it, let it be so.  At least he would have to a chance to work agreeably with someone and did not want to ruin the chances before they even began.  "Yes, it was.  Don't let it inflate your head too much."

"And here I was, thinking you hated me."

"No, Miss Granger, for once you are wrong.  I never hated you.  I simply hated the people you associated with.  You were the only one of your Gryffindor trio who had promise to go somewhere in life.  You were one of the best students I have ever taught."

"Thank you," she was thoroughly impressed by his frankness with her.  Maybe working with the man wouldn't be so bad after all.  "Even though you did give Malfoy more house points and higher grades than me?"

"That was only for cover.  Lucius would have had my head if I didn't coddle his sniveling son."

"Oh."  Hermione smiled at her ex-professor.  "I understand."

Snape decided that working with a partner on this project wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.  He might be able to get along decently with Miss Granger from what he had seen so far.  It would be easier to do than with some people he was acquainted with.  "Would you mind if we agreed with Albus's proposition and had lunch?  I, for one, am quite famished."


	2. Manipulation

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this.}

**Chapter 2**

**Manipulation**

Snape stalked up the stairs leading to the gargoyle in front of the Headmaster's office.  "Cockroach Clusters!" he barked at it.  It didn't move.  "Blood Pops!"  It still didn't budge.  "Fizzing Wizzbees!"   Nope, please try again later.  "Sugar Quills!"  The gargoyle remained a lifeless statue unwilling to give him entrance.  "Merlin's beard, Albus!  How many times can a man change his password in a week?  Sherbet Lemon?" It twitched slightly, but didn't move all the way.  He was getting closer.  "Lemon Drops!"  The gargoyle finally hopped out of Snape's way, letting the frustrated man storm up the stairs.

Albus Dumbledore had heard the younger man screaming at his guard.  He decided that it would be better to let the Slytherin blow off some steam at an inanimate object instead of himself.  "Ah, Severus, my dear boy, what brings you here on such a lovely afternoon?"  Albus predicted his response would deal with the current project and his choice of a partner.

"You know exactly why I am here, Albus."

"Yes, I do," the Headmaster admitted.  "Lemon drop?"

Snape sighed.  This was going to be a long meeting.  He took a candy to appease the older man as he sat in one of the squishy chairs.  "Why did you have to pick her?"

"You are speaking about Miss Granger, I assume?"

Snape nodded, silently asking who else she could be.

"My reasoning was very simple.  I know that you will only work with the best and she is one of the most talented witches I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.  Even you would admit that she has talent."

"Yes, I will admit that she has talent, but the girl has barely any experience.  Experience is critical in Potions."

Albus folded his hands on top of his desk and leaned forward towards the other man.  "Are you familiar with what Miss Granger did after graduation?"

"No, I don't make it habit to follow every single one of my students' lives."

"Hermione Granger had some of the highest scores on her OWLS and NEWTS that have ever been seen in this school's history.  She enrolled and was accepted at the Glasgow Academy of Magical Arts.  Once she got there, she only studied for a semester before moving on to something better."

"What could be better than Glasgow?"  The college was one of the top wizarding schools for higher education.  It only accepted elite students.

"Miss Granger was offered a very special position in the Department for Experimental Potions."

"I would never believe that she quit schooling to work."

"Oh, she did not quit her education, quite the opposite, my boy," Dumbledore's eyes sparkled merrily.  "One of my dearest friends was rather intrigued with her, you see, and took her under his wings to study alchemy."

Snape tried to think of who would be interested in an annoying know-it-all and failed to find any one vaguely remarkable.  Most of Dumbledore's friends and colleagues were as equally crazy as the old man.  He doubted any of them would have had a considerable, effective influence over the girl.

Albus continued without allowing Severus to guess the alchemist.  "He trained her well over the three years before he finally passed away.  I remember her crying at poor Nicholas's funeral."  He trailed off, wiping a tear from his eye.

Severus let the information sink in.  She was trained by an alchemist named Nicholas who died not too long ago.  His eyes widened as he realized who the man was.  "Flamel?  She was trained by Nicholas Flamel?"

"Correct."

"But how?  Why?" Snape was still pondering how this could have happened without him knowing about it.

"Nicholas knew he would die a few years after the stone as destroyed, so he decided it would be in his best interest to pass the knowledge he gained to someone else.  That someone happened to be Hermione Granger."

Snape scowled.  That put an unexpected turn on things.  Flamel would have given the girl more hands on experience than she would have needed.  Not only was he a world renowned alchemist, Snape knew him personally to be a hard task master.  "Even after three years with Flamel, I still doubt her experience level for this type of work."

Dumbledore met his grimace with a bright grin.  "I assure you that she will do perfectly fine for this project.  She may have some insights an older, more experienced person wouldn't think about."

"I still don't like this."

"I am not asking you to be friends with her.  I am only requesting that you work with her on a short term experiment."

"From what I have researched so far, the Founders' Potion may take years to figure out the correct combination of ingredients.  Some of the original items are extinct and we will need to locate sufficient replacements in order to get it to work correctly.  That in itself will take months, if not longer."

"I have a feeling that it will turn out fine."

"Are you certain there is no one else that would be better qualified to work with this?" Snape asked as a last hope.

"No, I'm afraid not.  Miss Granger is not only brilliant and well acquainted with Potions, but is also a member of the Order."

He could see the problem there.  A fellow Order of the Phoenix member would make it easier to work in secrecy away from the prying eyes of the Ministry.  Even though the war against Voldemort was over, there were some people who still could not be trusted.  From what he had heard, the Death Eaters were attempting to band together again under Lucius Malfoy.  That would make life more difficult that it already was.  If the Death Eaters returned, then havoc could ensure once more.  Unfortunately for him, Dumbledore's logic was more than reasonable.  "I understand your reasoning for this, sir," Snape stood up from the squishy chair.  "Thank you for clarifying your decision.  If this does not work, I will request to continue the project alone."

"That is perfectly acceptable.  Another lemon drop before you leave?"

"No, thank you.  Good night, Albus."

"Good night, Severus."

Dumbledore watched the Slytherin billow out the door.  The boy still managed to do a decent impression of an overgrown bat.  He had fully expected Snape to return and complain about the situation.  As usual, he had been correct.  Hermione would be good for him.  She was still young enough to have enthusiasm about her work, but had enough experience from her apprenticeship under Flamel to be of use to the project.  He knew it would be bad enough to pair Severus with another man.  Dominance would cause too many difficulties in the situation, but with a female, it would be different.  Snape would be more secure with his position and a woman would promote stability in his life, especially if she happened to be good looking.

Albus leaned back in his chair, stretching his aching bones.  Yes, Severus needed a woman in life and Hermione Granger would be the perfect match for him. Not only did she have brains, but she had grown up to be a rather stunning woman.  He wasn't too sure of the Slytherin's tastes, only knowing that he would prefer an intellectual conversation over anything else.

Hermione was the only girl he had ever seen the Slytherin mildly attracted to.  It wouldn't have been noticeable to anyone but those who knew where to look, and Dumbledore most certainly knew what to look for.  There had been a small incident involving Snape and Lucius Malfoy a few years back, in which Severus defended the "mud-blood" only because of her intelligence.  It had made him realize that he did appreciate the girl's brain power.

To top things off, they were the only two qualified for his current project.  Severus Snape was one of the few Potions Masters in existence that Dumbledore knew and trusted.  Hermione Granger was a genius and nearly a professional researcher with all the time she spent in the library.  Her apprenticeship under Flamel only heightened her qualifications.  Both of them were members of the Order of the Phoenix which did make it easier to keep the whole situation secret.

Despite Voldemort's demise during the autumn after Harry Potter's seventh year at Hogwarts, the wizarding world was still in relative turmoil.  Resistance groups hoping to resurrect the terror that Voldemort had were springing up all over.  Lucius Malfoy headed the largest threat.  For all they knew, he was some where in Istanbul gathering his forces.  Malfoy, both father and son, had been convicted war criminals yet no one had succeeded in capturing either one.  They were simply too slimy to get caught.

All the problems in world brought the Headmaster's thought back to his current conundrum.  Hogwarts was dying.  He could feel it in his veins.  The web of magical power that encompassed the castle was fading away.  The castle would begin to crumble eventually.  All the staircases would come to a halt and the many rooms held together by magic alone would disappear. 

He knew the reason behind the failing all too well.  The war had seeped too much magic away from the fortress.  Too many people had relied on its protection and when the battle was brought to the very doorsteps of Hogwarts, the wards had held strongly.  The entire conflict had drained the magic that bound the very stones together.  Albus was afraid that it would fall before they had a chance to revive the castle's strengths.

There were a few spells and charms that could be cast in order to slow down the process and they had been cast numerous times by the Headmaster and other strong witches and wizards.  It had worked well enough to slow the effects, but it was not enough to stop the castle from dying.  There was only one known way to stop it from disappearing completely.

The Founders' Potion.

The ancient potion was created by the four who began Hogwarts.  Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, and Godric Gryffindor had decided that the area in which they would build their school would need extreme magical protection.  They had mixed various ingredients together and added incantations, charms, and spells.  Salazar had done the actual brewing process using the plants cultivated by Helga.  Godric had provided the rest of the ingredients and Rowena had completed the potion with the complex incantations.

The four had gathered around a stone in the middle of the chosen field.  More incantations were pronounced as the potion was poured aver the rock.  Runes symbolizing protection and wisdom were inscribed to further benefit the land and people inhabiting it.  With a final speech, the stone was transformed into what Hogwarts was built upon.

From that day forward, the potion could only be brewed by the cooperation of a man and a woman, signifying Salazar Slytherin and Rowena Ravenclaw.  At least one ingredient had to be taken from the Hufflepuff gardens.  The recipe was hidden in Gryffindor's private chambers, only to be found when it was needed to repair the castle.

Dumbledore had stumbled upon the room by accident.  He had known the castle was beginning to weaken and had been contemplating how it would be repaired.  A door with the Hogwarts' crest had appeared before him at the end of what once was a deserted hallway.  Entering it revealed only a podium with a single scroll on it.  It was then that Albus realized how dire the situation actually was.

The potion was one of the most difficult ones to brew.  The wizards and witches who could accomplish the feat were few due to the complexity and the magic that was cast as it brewed.  To further create difficulties with the matter, many of the ingredients were no longer in existence.  They would have to experiment to get things correct.  After the brewing and casting were complete, the potion along with those who brewed it and the current Headmaster would have to travel deep into the bowels of the castle and pour it over the corner stone.

The task seemed almost too much to accomplish before everything was destroyed.  Albus had full confidence in the two he had set to work on the task.  He had faith that if anyone could do it, they would be the ones.

He sighed, taking another lemon drop and sucking meditatively on it.  Severus and Hermione were their only chance at survive.  They were the only two who had the brains and the magic to create such a concoction.  He would have to leave everything up to them and hope for the best.  It was all he could do.

At least his plan for keeping Hogwarts alive could result in better things.  Albus could only hope he had made the correct decision in attempting to pair up the man he considered to be a son with someone who would have a chance at making him happy.  He knew that Severus would have his head if he knew of his plans.  Albus didn't care.  The boy needed to have some fun now that his spying days were over.  A woman would give his life new meaning, new purpose.  She would show him all the things he had missed in the past.  And he could give her the stability that she craved and had never gotten in her life.  The idea did have some merit at least.

All he could do was hope that everything turned out for the best.

{Author's Note:  I hope that explains where I am going with this.  I wanted to thank my wonderful reviewers, all five of you!  I was very impressed that I got so many reviews with just one chapter!  Thanks!

RebelRikki: Thanks!

Dragon's Dreamss:  Thanks!  Here's the second chapter!

Tomzgurl77:  Thanks!  Here's another chapter!

Lama:  I didn't want to go too far too fast with Sev and Hermione's relationship.  My plan is to build it up slowly.  Don't worry; it will get more in depth later.

Angel2707:  I think you are probably the first person that has read my fics who is not from the United States.  I'm glad it is easy for you to understand.  Hopefully it will stay that way.  Thanks for the review!

Peace, Love, and Hot Chocolate, Nataly Ravenlock}


	3. Facade

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this.}

**Chapter 3**

**Facade**

Hermione groaned as she glanced bleary eyed at the alarm clock next to her bed.  The numbers glowed an eerie red, too bright for her to focus on easily.  It read 7:58 a.m., two minutes before her alarm would officially sound.  She closed her eyes, wanting to stay under her warm blankets as long as possible.  Two minutes were more than enough to savor her remaining moments of peace.

The alarm buzzed furiously, waking her as she dozed off again.  Reaching up without even opening her eyelids, she shut it off and lay still.  Mornings should not exist.  She sat up slowly, throwing her covers off, stretching to remove any remains of sleep from her muscles.  Swinging her legs over the side of her bed, she gasped at the coldness of the floor before locating her fuzzy slippers.

She meandered into the bathroom and began her morning routine as she did every morning.  It was the only way she could get her self functioning at hours when she did not want to.  Step one: wash face to remove any lingering sleepiness from her eyes.  Step two: take a hot shower.  Step three: cast hair removal charm on legs and underarms if needed.  Step four: apply various lotions, potions, et cetera.  Step four was a vital part of her routine.  Working over a hot cauldron killed her skin and hair.  The only way to prevent problems from occurring was to moisturize.  She did not want to look like Snape after only a few years of her work.

Step five involved detangling her hair and styling it a practical manner and step six was locating clothing.  Step seven was optional since it was only breakfast and she usually chose not to eat it any way, but step eight involved a meeting with a large mug of tea that completed her wake-up process.  That was her morning.  If something chose not to cooperate it put her off completely, usually resulting in what could only be called a "Bad Day."

This particular morning was obliging to her needs.  By ten minutes to nine, she was completely ready to leave so she Floo-ed to Dumbledore's office.  There were a few things she wanted to discuss with him before her partner showed up.  She tossed the powder into the flames, waiting for them to glow green before hopping in.  "Dumbledore's office; password: Lemon Drops."

Unfortunately for her, Snape had the same plan.  He was seated in a squishy chair, looking uncomfortable and amiably chatting with the Headmaster.  Dumbledore noticed her first as she brushed the soot from her robes.  "Good morning, Miss Granger!  You're right on time!  Lemon drop?"

"No, thanks, not right now," she sat in the remaining squashy chair next to Snape, who gave no greeting but a slight incline of his head toward her.  Obviously he didn't favor mornings too much either.

"Both of you are intelligent enough, so I am not going to beat around the bush with what I am asking you to do.  Hogwarts is dying.  The war sapped too much magic out of it.  The castle only began to show the actual signs of it a few weeks ago or else we could have figured it out sooner.  The failing was not apparent earlier from that the unimportant spells dissolved first, such as spells cast on the castle or those that accidentally hit the castle.  These spells may have had no effect on mortar and stone, but they were magic nonetheless and the castle absorbed the power from them over the centuries since it was built.  With all of that magic gone, the older spells are being to unravel.  They aren't the major ones yet thankfully.  As of now, it is only the simple spells, ones that keep the castle dustless or ones that are used to keep the tapestries from disintegrating.  I've been noticing general wear and tear appearing in some spots.  It is spreading and will only become worse."

He paused looking both of them in the eyes before continuing.  "If we cannot stop its spread, Hogwarts will crumble to the ground, to never exist again.  The spells that were cast to protect and build the school no longer exist in our world.  If we fail, Hogwarts will be gone forever.

"Fortunately for us, I stumbled upon a room I had never seen before a few weeks ago.  I was drawn to it as if it was something I needed to find.  Inside was a simple pedestal with a roll of parchment placed upon it.  I read the parchment and it gave me the answer I was hoping to find.  There is a cure for Hogwarts, called the Founders' Potion.  This potion was created by cooperation from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin.  By having all four working on it, it created strong magic to bind this school together."

Dumbledore smiled wanly at the two people in front of him.  "The Potion is a difficult task with certain specification to brew it properly.  It must be created through the joint efforts of a man and woman.  Many of the plants used must be gathered from Helga Hufflepuff's private garden.  At completion, both of you and the current Headmaster, whether it be myself or another, must venture down into the bowels of the castle and pour it on the corner stone at exactly midnight on a full moon.  It is a task worthy of the two finest minds Hogwarts has ever produced."  He sat back, hands folded loosely on his desk, letting them digest what they had just heard.

Hermione was shocked.  She had done some research on the Founders' Potion, but there was not much on the topic.  Much of what she had found had only stated it was the basis of Hogwarts' magic, but not that without the potion in time, the school would be destroyed.  The mere thought of life without Hogwarts was enough to make her stomach churn.  But if that was what needed to be accomplished, she would do all that she could to do it.

Severus was surprised, but not quite as shocked as the young woman.  He, too, had noticed some of the differences in the castle when he had visited in the past few days, but never fully understood what was causing them.  His knowledge on the Potion was as much as Hermione had learned.  It was not a useful potion to know or use on a daily basis, so he had not felt the need to research it too much.  Then again, he had complete confidence that he could brew any potion in existence.

The only problem either of them could see was locating any ingredients that ceased to exist.  The actual brewing was not too much of a concern, but brewing it together was.  They had worked together only a few times when Hermione had received detention from her escapades with Ron and Harry.  Snape knew she was good, but that was about it.

"May I see the ingredients list, sir?" Hermione spoke up while Snape pondered if he could deal with working with her, despite that she was an obnoxious know-it-all.  It would be difficult.

"Certainly," Dumbledore passed her the roll of parchment and she scanned it quickly, taking mental notes of what they would need to revise.

Snape glared at her for hogging the parchment when he should have been the one reading it first.  Hermione gave him the parchment unwillingly, not wanting to part with such as marvelous discovery.

"This will have to work, Albus.  Some of the ingredients are illegal, but I have a few contacts that I should be able to get them from.  A few of the ones added in later phases of the potion will have to be modified though," he spoke in his typical silky tones, making Dumbledore confident in his decision of the two of them.

"How much modification?" the Headmaster questioned out of curiosity.

"I'm not completely certain yet.  I will have to test a few different ideas.  Some of these ingredients are no longer available, but substitutions can be made accordingly."

"Wonderful!  I have every confidence that this will be a success and we can get Hogwarts back to its former glory by next September."

"Ten months?" Hermione asked in a worried tone.  "I don't know if we'll be able to finish with the testing and modifications by then, but I suppose we can try."

"It will be completed before this school starts up again next fall," Severus added at the same time.

"Very well," Dumbledore smiled.  "I must excuse myself now; I have another meeting with the professors in a few minutes.  Have a good afternoon!"

"Thank you, Headmaster," Hermione took an offered lemon drop before leaving.

"We will not fail, Albus," The Slytherin looked him in the eye after the girl had exited.

"I have every confidence in you, my boy."  Snape left in a cloud of black robes.

Hermione stood waiting for Severus outside the Headmaster's office.  He brushed past her without stopping, so she decided to follow him.  "So when do we start, Professor?"

Snape stopped mid-stride to look at her.  "I am no longer a professor; there is no need to call me such.  We will discuss everything later.  Follow me."

"Then what may I call you?"

"Severus will do since we will be working as colleagues now, Miss Granger."

"Hermione, then, please.  It's only fair."

"Very well."  He stopped at the door leading to the Floo fireplaces.  "Come.  We are traveling to Snape Manor.  Say it clearly.  I will go first."  He threw a handful of powder into the flames and jumped in, shouting "Snape Manor," as he did so.  Hermione went after he disappeared, though more cautiously.

She appeared in a simply decorated hallway and glanced about, noticing Snape standing with his arms crossed nearby.  "Welcome to my home.  This is where we will be experimenting with the potion."

Hermione felt awkward being in her ex-professor's dwelling.  It wasn't as grand or as magnificent as most pureblood houses, but it worked perfectly fine for a single bachelor living alone.  His parents resided in the other larger house that was more up to par with typical pure tastes.  "Wouldn't be easier to work in a full laboratory?"

"Of course.  My private lab is in the dungeons underneath the living areas."

"Oh," she chided herself for not thinking of that sooner.  Naturally, any Potions Master would have a private laboratory in their own home.

"Come along, I will show you to your rooms."  Snape turned to walk down another hall.

"Wait a second, you just said my rooms?"

"Correct.  Is there anything wrong with that?"

"I just wasn't expecting to be staying here permanently for a while."

Snape glared at her.  "It would be the easiest if both of us lived under one roof along with the potion we are brewing so that it can be monitored correctly."

"Why can't I just Floo in from my apartment or Apparate here?"  She was almost terrified of having to live in the same house with a man she barely knew, especially since it was his house.

"Miss Granger, you are staying her in this house until the completion of the Founders' Potion.  Headmaster Dumbledore gave me permission to house you here in order to keep what we will be working on absolutely top secret.  If you were to stay in your apartment, people may get suspicious if you began Flooing or Apparating to Snape Manor every day."

"I live alone."

"The Ministry still keeps track of everyone's whereabouts.  Albus made it clear to me that no one else was to know about the project.  We've wasted enough time already discussing this.  Follow me."

Hermione trailed behind attempting to recall the route she took from the hallway to the rooms she was given.  The house wasn't very large for a manor which made life easier for her.  She nearly collided with Snape as he stopped in front of a nondescript wooden door.

"This will be your room.  House elves have already been sent to your apartment to bring everything you will need for the next few months.  You should find everything in here.  If you wish, I can send a few more elves to pick up anything else you require.  Albus did suggest moving everything out of your apartment and putting what you don't need for the time being into storage so you will not have to pay rent."

"If I am staying here, then that would be a better option.  If you don't mind, I'm going to get my stuff organized and see if anything is missing."

"Very well.  I will send an elf up when it is time for dinner."

"Thank you, Severus," Hermione gave him a small grin.  Poor man probably had a fit when Albus suggested that they live in the same house, Snape's house nonetheless.  Little did she know that it was actually the Slytherin's suggestion.

{Author's Note:  This chapter is short and pointless, but I wanted to get something posted before I left for Florida with the marching band.  Yay!  I like this fic.  I got 11 reviews on one chapter!  That's more than I have ever gotten before!  Yay!

Lama:  I write as fast as my schedule lets me, which is not as fast as I want to.

Chaimera: Thanks!

Karen Detroit:  Thanks for the review!  I've been enjoying your fics.  I liked the ending of the second one even though you could still add more to it.

Orli is mine: Thanks!

Lildrummergirl: Thanks!  Don't worry about coming after me, I will keep writing no matter what.  It just takes me a while.

Kira: Thanks! I'm not necessarily worried, but the other fics I have written are very fast paced and this one is more of a developmental one.

Cat-Of-The-Western-Lands: Thanks!

RebelRikki: Thanks!

Dragon's Dreamss: Thanks!

Gemz: Thanks!  I've been reading some of your fics, by the way.  Great stuff!

Nelys1: It's okay, as long as you review eventually I am happy.

Peace, Love, and Lemon Drops, Nataly Ravenlock}


	4. Adapting To Change

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this.}

**Chapter 4**

**Adapting to Change**

The room was bright and rather cheery in contrast to what she had seen of the rest of Snape Manor.  Instead of the normal Slytherin silvers and greens, the walls were done in a pale, springtime pink paired with white curtains printed with colorful Gerber daisies.  The bed was a large four poster like those at Hogwarts except instead of being decorated in the house colors, it was covered in the bright hues of the flowers.  The whole room was resplendent in magentas, oranges, and yellows with slight hints of azure and cherry red thrown in for added effect.  It would have been too vibrant if the decorator hadn't been careful, but fortunately for her, it worked perfectly.

Hermione saw none of her belongings apparent in her new room.  Opening the doors on a honey maple armoire, she found all her robes.  Shoes and other clothing were located in the drawers below.  Further exploration discovered her other belongings neatly placed in another set of drawers and on a tall book shelf.  Her appliances were no where to be found and she guessed they had been sold off with her apartment.

She obviously didn't have too much of a say in what she wanted to keep, not that there was much she wanted other than her clothing, books, pictures, and the small amount of memorabilia she had collected over the years.  The appliances and furniture had come with the apartment anyway, so they were not necessarily hers.  The only thing that was missing was the one chair she had bought on a whim at a thrift store.  The house elves had some how read her mind as it appeared suddenly in a corner.

"Wow," she said to herself, collapsing on the plush bed.  It was just how she liked it, soft enough to cuddle into, but not too soft that it was uncomfortable.  The elves had even brought her pillows though they were cased in new linens.  Her eyes slowly closed and she let herself have a moment of peace.

"Miss?" a shrill voice shattered any peaceful thoughts she was having.  The moment of rest had lasted longer than expected.  "Miss?"

Hermione grumbled something incomprehensible in response.

"Miss needs to wake up.  The Master said to have Miss ready for dinner by 6."

Hermione sat up, realizing the voice belonged to a frazzled looking house elf wearing a tea cozy.  "What time is it?"

"Is half past five, Miss."

She calculated that there was a half hour before she was to have dinner with one of the scariest men in existence.  "Wonderful," she glanced around the room, noticing more closed doors than she needed to see.  "Could you show me to the loo?"

"Nolly would be honored.  Is right over here, Miss," the little creature opened one of the doors.  The bathroom was almost more than Hermione had bargained for.  It reminded her of the prefect's one at Hogwarts: a huge tub, at least six taps with wonderful smelling bubbles and soaps, a separate stall for showers, and an ornate commode.

"Thank you, Nolly.  If you don't mind, I would like to get cleaned up."

"Is fine, Miss.  Nolly will find you fresh robes to wear.  Master is specific about the dress in his house."

Hermione disregarded the house elf as she washed her face.  She ran damp fingers through her hair in attempt to tame the mess though it did little to calm the frizz.  She returned to her room to see what the elf had laid out for her.

"Master said for Miss to look nice.  Nolly found pretty robes for Miss."

Hermione saw the garments and gasped audibly.  A silvery blue dress robe hung suspended in the air by the little elf.  "That's not mine," she stuttered, "I don't have any robes that look like that."

"Nolly fixed up an old robe found in Miss's closet.  Is perfect for dinner," the creature explained proudly.

"Fine.  It will have to do for now."  She stripped of her everyday robes and into the lovely dress.  The material was soft and slippery; reminding her of the pale blue gown she had for the ball in her fourth year.  Maybe that was what the house elf had altered for her.  She looked in the large mirror adorning one wall.

"It suits you, dear," the mirror spoke in a melodious tone.  "Much better than those shapeless things you had on earlier.  A woman with a body like yours should show it off."

Hermione's eyes widened at her reflection.  The dress clung to her curves showing them off more than anything she had ever worn before.  "The neck's a bit low, isn't it?"  The collar was cut just low enough to show the very tops her breasts.  "And it's a bit tight."

"Not at all, dear.  That's nonsense.  What ever man you are out to impress will enjoy it and it's not too low or too tight to show everything, like some of those dresses the girls are wearing nowadays.  You're fine.  Now only if we could do something about that hair of yours, we'd be all set."

"Nolly can fix Miss's hair!" the house elf screeched excitedly.  It waved a hand at her Hermione's head before she could protest.  The strands wove themselves into a complex nest of curls piled near the top of her head.  A few were left loose to dangle behind her ears.

"Wonderful!" the mirror exclaimed.  "You look stunning, dear.  Now go join that lucky man of yours."

"He's not mine; we're just colleagues," Hermione explained.

"It will still impress him.  Now off with you!"

Nolly jumped up and down happily.  "This way, Miss!  The Master will be waiting for you!"

Snape sat at the small table set out for the two of them in a smaller salon.  He refused to eat in the large hall with so few people residing in the house.  It made no sense to do so, she he chose to eat in a smaller, more comfortable room.

He looked at the clock, wondering where Miss Granger, no, Hermione, had gotten to.  She was no longer his student; there was no need to address her as such.  They were to work as equals from now until the end of the project as hard as it would be to do so.  Knowing what kind of person she was, he wouldn't have been surprised if she had gotten sidetracked with something while exploring the house.  Before he could ponder her whereabouts further, someone knocked at the door.  "Enter."

The door opened to reveal something Severus did not expect.  He had told the house elf to make sure she looked decent for dinner, but the transformation was so amazing, he almost could not believe it.  She looked absolutely gorgeous.  He nearly could not comprehend that this woman was the same obnoxious brat that terrorized him only five years before.

"Hello," she greeting him shyly.

Automatically, he stood up and pulled out a chair for her to sit in.  She took it willingly, her calm demeanor only betrayed by a slight shocked look in her eyes.  "Good evening, Hermione.  I hope you found your accommodations to be acceptable?"

"Yes, they're wonderful," she admitted.

"And the house elves brought everything you needed, I assume."

"I believe so.  I did a relatively thorough check and located most of my belongings.  The appliances are being sold with my apartment then?"

"Yes.  We decided that would be the most beneficial course of action."

"Good.  They came with the apartment anyway."

Silver platters appeared on the table filled with various delicacies.  Hermione chose to try a simple pasta dish with chicken, which turned out to be very good.  "This is delicious!"

"It should be.  The house elves here have been fully trained in cooking anything and everything.  They rival even those at Hogwarts."

The pair lapsed into silence, not feeling totally comfortable with the other's presence yet.  Hermione broke it after a few moments, bursting with questions about their up coming task.  "So when will we start the potion?"

Snape suppressed a groan.  He had figured she would be asking about it by now.  "We first have to gather ingredients before we can begin the brewing process, Hermione."  She blushed and he continued, "I will spend tomorrow morning seeing what I have in my stores that can still be used.  We will then take a trip to Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley to locate what I do not have.  Depending on how successful we are there, we may have to find other sources for what we need."

"Alright.  Would you mind if I stopped by my father's house tomorrow to tell him that I won't be in contact for a while?  It won't take very long."

"I should be busy for most of the morning.  Do as you wish."

Dinner finished up with silence as Snape retired to his study and Hermione to her room.  She knew she had to tell her father about the project and that she would be out of reach for the next few months.  She really didn't mind too much; it wasn't like she and her father were incredibly close to begin with.  Their relationship had gone to ruins after her mother died.  Her father blamed her even though she had nothing to do with the incident.  Morning came too soon for its own good and Hermione apparated to her childhood home.

"Why?" She asked herself as she approached the front door.  She knew it was the correct thing to do, to visit her father before she got involved in the major research project and probably wouldn't see him for months.  She still felt bad for the schedule she kept.  She never had time for him anymore and without her mother alive, she guessed he was most likely lonely.

Her mother had been murdered during one of Voldemort's Muggle killing sprees.  Somehow her father had only been knocked unconscious and survived, but her mother had been killed with a simple, yet powerful curse.  She hadn't witnessed the event herself, thankfully.  She had been working on a strong healing potion with Flamel that would guarantee successful recovery from nearly any wound or illness.  It had been too late for it to be effective to save her mother.

Hermione knocked at the door, waiting for her father to answer.  He said that he would be home today.  Maybe he had gone out.  That would make her life much easier.  Just leave a note at the door saying that she had stopped by and she wouldn't have to say a word to him.  The door unfortunately opened and her father gave her a large smile.  "Hello, sweet pea.  I wasn't expecting you this early."  He ushered her inside, taking her coat.  He was always a civil gentleman when she first arrived.  It just got worse the longer the visit became.

"Hi, Dad," she spoke softly.  "I wanted to stop by as soon as possible.  I've got a new project coming up and we're going to get every settled for it this afternoon."  So what if it was a slight lie.  She would probably talk with Severus later about what exactly they needed to do, so there was some truth behind it.

"Well, good for you.  Would you like anything?  Coffee?  Tea?  Soda?  A snack?"

"No, thanks, I just had breakfast."  Another lie, but food would make her stay longer than she had to.  She had a mug of tea before she came.

They sat down together in the living room, Hermione on the couch and her father in his favorite armchair.

"So what have you been up to lately?" she asked to start a simple conversation.

"Oh, the usual.  The practice has been thriving.  We have a few new interns who show a lot of promise.  They're about your age too and good-looking," he shot her a meaningful look.

"Don't start again, please, Dad.  I don't need a Muggle boyfriend.  He wouldn't understand my life."  Ever since her mother passed away, her father had been attempting to hook her up with any eligible man he could find.

"Then why don't you come back to us normal folk, find a decent man, get married, and join the family practice?"

"You know as well as I do that I can't do that.  My education is completely magical.  I know close to nothing about the sciences and history.   I wouldn't be able to fit in here."

"I could teach you dentistry."

"I don't want to be a dentist.  I know that is what you want for me, but it's not what I want for myself."

"Then what do you want for yourself?" Mr. Granger snapped back angrily.  He never understood his only daughter any more.  They had been close when she was younger, but now she couldn't be farther away.  He understood nothing of her education; only that she graduated top of her class.  He was very proud of her for that, but had hoped that she would get over this magic fantasy and come back to the real world.  He knew in his heart that it wouldn't happen, but he would do his best to get her back.

"I want to research my potions; that's what I want to do."

"You can do research here too."

"It's not the same."

"It can be if you make it so."

"I know nothing of your sciences."

"They're my sciences now?  Let me remind you that you are human too.  So no, they are not just my sciences.  They are your sciences and everyone else's sciences as well.  Get it through your head that you are one of us.  Your magic is just a hoax, Hermione Granger."

Hermione's eyes narrowed.  She knew her father would never fully believe in what she did.  Unconsciously, she pulled her wand from her sleeve, ready to hex him.  "It is not a hoax.  It is perfectly real.  Why else would I have spent the past ten years away from here?"

"A conned scheme?"

 "No.  You know very well that it exists.  Don't think I never realized that you went through my book and my stuff.  I know you read most of my textbooks, if not all of them.  That should prove something to you."

"It only proves that I was foolish to let you go through with this when I should have known better to keep you here at a normal school and then sent you to a medical school so that you could join the practice."

Hermione stood up, wand aimed as her father.  "You let me go willingly."

"Your mother talked me into it."

"Don't bring Mother into this."

"Why not?"  Mr. Granger rose from his chair.

"You don't have to blame me for what I could not fix.  Magic cannot revive someone who is already dead.  There is no cure for death."

"There should be."

"Well, there isn't.  I can't bring Mom back.  Neither can anyone else.  It's not my fault!"

"If you weren't a witch, she would still be alive."

"You blame it all on me.  How dare you?"  Her wand was held steady, level with his chest.

"You think your little stick will solve everything, don't you?  You think that with a wave of your magic wand everything will be alright?  That's not how it is, Hermione," he mocked her.  Leaping forward, Mr. Granger made a grab at her wand.  She pulled it back but his other hand wrestled it from her grip.  She stared dumbfounded as he threw it into the fire place.

"NO!" she lunged forward to grab it from the flames.  Her father held her wrists tightly so she could not get away to rescue her precious wand.  Tears streamed in rivulets down her checks as she sobbed.  Loosing a wand was like loosing a piece of her soul.  As it caught fire and burned to ash, Mr. Granger finally let her go.

"There.  That took care of that problem.  No more magic, young lady.  You are enrolling in a normal school next week and are going to live you life as a normal person, do you understand me?"

"Perfectly," Hermione snapped back, brimming with fury.  "Except that nothing can take magic away.  Nothing at all.  Never.  Destroying my wand may only hinder some things, but I am still fully capable of magic."

 "Go!  Leave this house right now, you little bitch!  Out of my sight!  I never want to see you again!"

"Fine, have it your way."  Hermione sauntered to the fire place, removing the charred remains of her wand.  She held the ashes in her fist.  "Good-bye, Father."  She apparated out of the house, leaving no trace of her visit.

{Author's Note: Wow, I like you guys!  You give me lots of reviews!  Yay!  I will warn you that the last part of this chapter was written before the first part, but I got it to fit together, so if it is kind of choppy, that's why.  Just to let anyone who is interested know, if you leave your e-mail address in a review or log in and your e-mail is posted on ff.net, I will contact you when I post for this fic.

BlueLemons:  Thank you very much for your lovely review.  I went back and fixed some of the grammatical errors.  I don't have a beta so me and my cats are the only ones to proof read any of this.  The cats don't help much, unfortunately.  I'm glad you like Snape.  I try to keep him in character.

Angel2707:  I don't get what you are saying.  The reason I chose Snape was because he is a Potions Master and can save Hogwarts with what I have planned.  You may hate him, but there is a good amount of us who happen to like him and think otherwise.  Thanks for liking my fic anyway, despite that you don't like the main character.

PhoenixFlight: Thanks!

Dragon's Dreams: Exactly how much HGSS do you want?  I was planning on leaving it up to my reviewers as to how in depth it goes.

RebelRikki:  It's not a small house.  It's a very large house, just not a castle.  What I figured is that the Snapes are a rich, Pureblood family and therefore own many houses.  So he currently resides in one of the smaller houses, though it is not very small and his parents live in the larger, more elaborate castle, which they will visit at some point.

Toreen:  Yeah, I know about the errors.  I don't have a beta, so I don't catch them sometimes.  I fixed a few in the past couple of chapters and reposted them.  I'm glad you like it.

Chibidaima:  Thanks!  I hope the rest of the story will be as equally good.

Peace, Love, and Tea, Nataly Ravenlock}


	5. The Founder's Potion

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this.}

**Chapter 5**

**The Founder's Potion**

Twelve White Mulberry leaves, gathered just before sunset

Two ounces Fennel Seeds, gathered at Summer Solstice

Eight blossoms of purple Lucerne, gather during a full moon

One True Mandrake Root

A rod Witch Hazel

Five Full Heads of Angelica flowers, gathered at Candlemas

Four Bracken Fern Fiddleheads, gathered at Summer Solstice

Three Vervain flowers, gathered at Summer Solstice at noon on a bright day near the full moon

A small Opal Stone

A small Agate Stone

Six drops Liquid Mercury

One White Water Lily

Seven leaves of Wax Myrtle

Two Dove Feathers

Eighteen leaves Blue Salvia, gathered at Autumn Equinox

One Jade Stone, carved in to a pentacle

One Phoenix Feather

One Dragon Claw

One vial Unicorn Blood, Given Freely

_Man and Woman of great powers_

_Work together in desperate hours_

_Hogwarts is dying, but do not fear_

_The answer you seek is right here_

_This potion is all that you will need_

_The directions you must closely heed_

_Set Mulberry Leaves on the altar for a night_

_Use them before the morning's first light_

_Protected with a black candle they shall be_

_Until brewed into a strong tea_

_Here Athena you must invoke_

_Or the potion will start to smoke_

_Add seeds of Fennel to the brew_

_Strength and protection they give you_

_Stir against the clock seven times_

_Wait until the bell of midnight chimes_

_Add Lucerne gathered fresh when moon is full_

_Take only blossoms, no roots you pull_

_Until fully dry you must wait_

_To burn the flowers numbered eight_

_Add the ashes to the mix_

_Stir with hazel rod times six_

_Find the Mandrake, Old and True_

_In the garden Helga grew_

_With hazel rod, stir once more_

_Around the clock, this one times four_

_Five full heads of Angelica flowers_

_Will be added after eighty-six hours_

_Let sit dormant until summer's eve_

_When from the Garden you must retrieve_

_Four fiddleheads of fern, Vervain_

_A white lily in water from Helga's domain_

_Place first the ferns and wait a day_

_Continue by giving Diana her say_

_When adding the enchanted Vervain_

_Stones must be added to help it sustain_

_Agate and Opal to keep it longer_

_Mercury will make it stronger_

_Next in line is the Lily, white_

_Add it whole at the middle of night_

_Wait for now days nineteen_

_Until the mixture changes green_

_Aventine__ Hill in ancient Rome_

_Is where Wax Myrtle does call home_

_Sacred to the Goddess Venus_

_Invoke her as you slowly add this_

_Two feathers from a sacred dove_

_To represent both peace and love_

_Add leaves of Sage at a time two_

_For nine mornings straight you must do_

_Spirit, Water, Earth, Air, Fire_

_Unite the elements entire_

_Into the brew cast the star of Jade_

_Onto which a pentacle is made_

_Claw of Dragon, Phoenix Feather_

_Male and Female added together_

_For two weeks, let it stay_

_Stir it once every single day_

_Unicorn blood must be given free_

_Pour it in, stir times three_

_Wait now for a month, one_

_Until the potion is finally done_

_Take the cauldron down below_

_The deepest place that you can go_

_The corner stone you will find_

_Carve the runes in which to bind_

_Thurisaz__, Algiz, Eihwaz make_

_Carve them for protection's sake_

_Ansuz__ for wisdom, Daeg for growth_

_Perth for magic and take the oath_

_When the moon is at its peak_

_This incantation you must speak_

_"Powers that be, Powers that bind_

_Cross the gap of Earth to mind_

_Use the brew that we have made_

_To give this castle powerful aid_

_Protect Hogwarts, keep it strong_

_May its life be forever long_

_May all the Gods defend forever_

_Eternity and always, ceasing never_

_To this we ask with all our might_

_Keep us safely from this night."_


	6. New Perspectives

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this.}

This chapter is dedicated to my new Beta, Toreen.  Thanks!

**Chapter 6**

**New Perspectives**

Snape mulled over the ingredients he had on his shelves and looked over his list once more.  The Mandrake, fern, Vervain, and lily all had to be gathered from Hufflepuff's private garden, so he could not use what he had in his stock.  He would also have to find Venus's Temple in Rome to get the myrtle.  He would have to venture in search of the mulberry leaves since they needed to be picked fresh.  The fennel seeds he had were gathered during summer solstice, when they would be the most powerful.  Those he could use in the potion.  The Angelica flowers, Lucerne, and sage he had in stock as well and would use as long as there were enough of them.  A witch hazel stirring rod was easy and common enough to find on Diagon Alley.

The stones could be found there too, but the jade pentacle might be of difficulty.  Dove feathers might also be of difficulty, for they were uncommon in the wizarding world.  The phoenix feather he could easily obtain from Fawkes and dragon claws were already in his own personal stores.  That left the unicorn blood.  He knew he would never get close to a live unicorn with all the dark secrets he had, which meant that job would be Miss Granger's.  He still thought of her as such even though he had been talked into calling her 'Hermione.'

The ingredients could be attained, if with some difficulty, but he would make it happen.  Hogwarts depended on his success.  Snape pocketed his list of what he would need to purchase and wondered briefly what had become of the girl.  He had not seen her since this morning when she had found her way to the kitchens for a mug of tea.  He assumed she would be back from her visit by now.  It shouldn't take her that long to explain that her job would be keeping her away from her parents for a few months.

Severus stalked up the stairs from his dungeon laboratory, closing and warding the door safely behind him.  He didn't want to take any chances.  This project was too important to have it ruined by a careless house elf.  The house was quiet as it usually was as he continued through the long halls.  His wondering was quickly answered as he found Hermione huddled next to the Floo fireplace, sobbing into her hands.  He stood watching for a few moments, not fully comprehending what exactly was going on.

Hermione didn't even notice his presence.  All she could think about was her father's fury as he tossed her wand into the fire and held her from saving it.  It replayed over and over in her mind as she clenched the charred remains tightly in her fists.

"Hermione?" a smooth voice cut through her thoughts and she looked up, glaring at the tall, dark man.

She didn't seem like she was going to speak, so Severus decided that it would best to get to the bottom of this quickly.  He wouldn't bother with the typical 'are you alright?' since it was entirely too obvious that she was not.  "What happened?"

The girl slowly opened her clenched fists revealing ashes and fire-blackened wood.

"Your wand?" he asked quietly.  She nodded, tears still running down her face.  "Your parents did that to you?"

"My father," she spat out through her sobs.  "Mother's dead."

Snape understood almost immediately what the situation was.  "He blames you for her death, doesn't he?"

Another nod from Hermione.

"It's not your fault.  Despite all we try to do and all the people we try to protect, some still manage to slip through our grasp.  Death Eaters have their own prerogatives as to who dies and who lives.  Unfortunately for us, they tend to be different from our own."

Hermione continued to say nothing.  She knew in her heart that it was not her fault, but her father still destroyed her wand and she would never forgive him for doing that.

"It is about time for you get a new wand any way.  That one was looking rather worn after all its use.  Come along.  I was planning on going to Diagon Alley today."  He reached down and gently pulled her up by her elbows.  He noticed she was still crying, if less hysterically than before.  There was only one way to deal with hysterical females that he knew of to work.  Snape pulled her into a cautious hug.

Hermione didn't care that the most hated man in Hogwarts was embracing her because she needed some comfort.  Her world had been turned upside and the last standing shard of sanity had been broken into little bits that could never be fully fixed back together.  She needed a hug, and it didn't matter who was hugging her.  She nuzzled into his chest, finding comfort in the familiar smells of potions that clung to his robes.

Snape felt awkward to have a young woman wrapping her arms around him and burrowing her head in his chest.  He had never been hugged very often in the past.  He honestly was not a huggable person, but some how she found comfort in him enough for her sobs to slowly come to an end.

She paused for a moment as her tears stopped and relished the moment.  She had always wished to have a man to hold her, but it had never happened.  Few of the boys at school had shown any interests in her and those who did turned out to be incompatible.  Harry had found solstice in Ginny after the war and Ron became a confirmed bachelor, not quite ready to settle down with anyone.  They had tried dating during their sixth year, but it just didn't work.  So instead of fighting about it, they chose to remain close friends instead.

It didn't matter that the man happened to be close to twenty years older than she or that he had taught her for seven years at Hogwarts.  Right now, he was giving her something she needed badly and didn't want it to stop.  After what had happened earlier with her father, she had every right to need a hug.  She found herself enjoying the feeling of his arms wrapped around her and shook the thought out of her head.  Severus Snape would never want a girl like her.  She was too young for him and a Gryffindor!  Slytherins and Gryffindors did not associate unless they absolutely had to.

Severus felt the girl pull away from him and instantly thought that he had gone too far.  She would surely hate him now, like all the other women in his past.  One touch and they were gone.  How did he manage to scare them all away?

Hermione looked up at the tall man, wiping the remains of her tears away.  "Thank you," she spoke softly, feeling ashamed for her outburst.

Snape didn't see any trace of the hatred or anger he had expected to find in her face.  If anything, he found respect, calm, and contentedness.  That had been unexpected.  He had thought he would have scared her off by now, but it seemed the opposite had happened.  He managed a polite, slightly uncomfortable smile.  "You're welcome, but don't make a habit of it."

Hermione smiled back.  That was the Snape she knew, the one with the sarcastic comments.  "I'll try not to."

"Get yourself cleaned up.  We need to go to Diagon Alley to pick up a few things before we begin.  Can you be ready in a half hour?"  He hoped she wasn't one of those females that took hours upon hours to fix themselves up.

"I can be ready in fifteen minutes if you need me to be."

"That will do."  Snape turned away in a swish of black.  He didn't want to be around her any longer than he had to.  She was too enticing for her own good.  How dare Albus have the gall to partner him with a female?  And a relatively attractive one at that?  She wasn't quite his exact type, but close enough.  She was a bit on the thin side for his tastes and could use a few more curves.  He had been without a woman in his house for too long.  Now he was willingly hugging the only one around!  How dare he break his bounds so soon?  He should have known better than that!  He would have to keep himself under tight restraints for the next few days until he got use to the idea of having a female inhabiting his domain.

Hermione watched him until he turned down a corridor out of view.  She was thankful that he had been willing enough to embrace her when she needed someone to do so.  He looked shocked when she had smiled at him afterwards.  Obviously, he had been expecting a different reaction, maybe of disgust or horror, but certainly not happiness.  She guessed he didn't have much luck in the women department, judging by what she knew of his temperament and appearance.

It took her only ten minutes to clean her face and change into a set of robes.  She transferred the remains of her wand into a small satchel, which was placed in her purse with her Gringotts key and the small amount of money that she had.

By the time she was finished, Severus was already waiting in a chair by the fireplace.  He had cleared his mind of any thoughts he had of her.  It didn't take long for him to recover his normally composed state of mind.  She was still an insufferable know-it-all with frizzy hair despite everything else.  He knew people whose parents had done much worse to them, so he had no reason to care about what happened to her.  She was only a Gryffindor.  "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

He threw in a handful of powder from a canister on the ledge.  The flames turned green and he gestured for Hermione to go before he did.  "Ladies first."

She gave him another smile, not knowing he couldn't stand when she did that.  One hug had been one too much for him.  "Thank you."  She stepped into the fireplace, shouting, "Diagon Alley," and disappeared.  Snape stepped in shortly after.

Diagon Alley was busy as usual.  People bustled about with carts and satchels, selling everything imaginable, each with a destination in mind different from the others and in a rush to get there.  Hermione gazed around, hoping she could find someone she recognized, but her hope was unattainable as she saw no one remotely familiar that she could talk to.

"If you don't mind," Snape's deep voice spoke above her right shoulder, "I have a few tasks that I need to accomplish today."

His tone told Hermione that he obviously did not want her present when he went where ever he needed to go.  "I'm sure my destinations are different from yours," she assured him.

He nodded thoughtfully.  At least she did not insist on following him.  "Will 3 o'clock give you enough time to find what you are shopping for?"

"It should be more than enough."

"Very well.  I will meet you back here at three."

Hermione turned to leave, heading towards the towing bank of Gringotts.

"Oh, Hermione," Snape called to catch her attention, recalling something he had forgotten to tell her.  "Be sure to purchase some nicer day robes.  The places we will have to travel to respect quality."

"But I don't-"

"You need money for them?" Severus asked, cutting her off.  He knew she was independent but had been living off the meager wages of a Ministry researcher and did not want to pressure her into taking a bit of his more than ample inheritance.  "The Snape family has more than enough for all who is left living.  Since you are currently living as a member of my household, I will grant you access to one of my accounts."

"Thank you, but no," she said firmly.  "I have enough to buy a few sets on my own."

"It is your decision."  Snape planned on moving a small sum of his money to her account no matter what she said.  He would not have his partner dressed in rags, especially with some of the people they would need to contact.  His colleagues were ones who took utmost pride in appearances and often judged the outcomes of decisions based partially on looks.  It did help that Hermione was a relatively attractive young woman, but good clothing made the impression even better.

"I appreciate the offer, but I believe I can deal on my own."

"Then I will see you at three," Snape disappeared into the crowd in a swirl of black.  Hermione watched him go, wondering why he acted the way he did.  She didn't think he was just trying to be nice.  That was not Snape-like at all.  She guessed that they would probably have to go rubbing elbows with the Pureblood class, which would explain why he requested she get some nicer robes, but the offer to pay confused her.  She blamed it on his Pureblood riches.

Her first stop was Gringotts, where she forced as always to ride the rollercoaster into the dark depths below to locate her vault so she could take out enough to get a few new robes and a wand.  There was enough in there to easily pay for what she required with some left over.  It wasn't much, but now that she didn't have to pay for amenities, it wouldn't have to get as carefully saved.

Hermione exited into the bright midday sun, blinking a few times as her eyes adjusted to the change in light.  The crowded streets were still busier than ever and where ever Severus had disappeared to, it wasn't within her line of sight.  Her next stop was Ollivander's.  She sighed, knowing that she needed a new wand to replace the burned one, but not wanting to relinquish the memories attached to her very first wand.

The silvery bell chimed as she entered the deserted shop.  She was surprised to see no students here for their first wands, but then reminded herself that it was November and all the kids were at Hogwarts already.

"How may I help you, Miss Granger?" Mr. Ollivander's voice broke through her thoughts.  "I haven't seen you since you got your first wand here, eleven years ago.  Maple, 11 inches with a unicorn hair, rather supple, it was destined to make you a powerful witch and so it did."

Hermione smiled at the wizened man, "Yes, it was a good wand, but I'm afraid there was a bit of an accident with it."

"Oh?"

"My father…threw it into the fire…he was angry with me and it was his idea of revenge," she explained slowly, not certain how to explain it exactly.

"I'm sorry.  Then I suppose you are searching for a replacement?  You've come to the right place.  May I ask what you are currently studying?"

"Potions," she answered happily.

"Very good.  It takes a strong wizard or witch to study Potions and achieve success, but I can see that you will go far."  He pulled a box off the shelf.  "Ash with Phoenix feather, 12 ¼ inches, quite pliable."

She gave a swish and flick and promptly exploded a vase.

"No, definitely not that one.  How about yew with a hair from a unicorn tail, 16 inches, nice and swishy?"

This was tried as well with the same success, though it sent a box zooming across the room with a loud thunk into the back wall.

"Not that one either.  Hmmm…let's try another unicorn hair, this time with mahogany, 16 inches again and rather springy, shall we?"

The wand put a crack in the mirror behind Mr. Ollivander's desk.

"Very difficult today, Miss Granger.  How about a dragon's heartstring this time?  I've got a rosewood, 12 ¼ inches, slightly pliable."

She swished it feeling the immediate warmth spread through her body.  "This is it.  This is the one."

"Wonderful! That will be seven galleons, four knuts."

Hermione paid eagerly; glad to once again have a wand of her own.  She placed it up her sleeve where she usually kept her old one and went on her way to Madame Malkin's.  Severus had asked her to get a few nicer day robes.  Obviously he had taken charge of the project while she was with the man she no longer called her father.  She had figured that they would have to travel in order to attain some of the more difficult ingredients, but he seemed to have already decided where they would be headed.

Madame Malkin's Robes For All Occasions was busier than the wand shop.  Hermione poked around, not exactly certain of what she was searching for.  She figured that looking through the shop might give her a better idea.  All he had said was nicer day robes.  He didn't say how nice they had to be, just nicer than ordinary day robes and not as fancy as dress robes.

"Are you looking for anything in particular, dear?" Madame Malkin asked politely.

Hermione looked up from the material she was fingering.  "Actually, yes I am.  I need to buy a few sets of nicer day robes."

"I know just what you need!" the matronly witch exclaimed exuberantly.  "We just received these new styles yesterday and if you are looking for nicer ones, these will be perfect."

"Alright.  Where are they?" Hermione glanced around expectantly.

"Right over here, if you would be so kind to follow me."  Hermione was lead to a corner of the shop she had not yet explored.  "Here you go.  Take a look at these ones and find a few you like.  Feel free to try them on and once you've made a decision, I can size them up properly."

"Thank you."  Hermione looked over the new robes in front of her.  They were not quite dress robes, but not quite normal everyday robes either.  She knew she looked good in darker colors and that she didn't think Severus would appreciate anything too vibrant like the magentas and lemony yellows.  She found a deep crimson that reminded her of red wine made out of a soft, silky material.  That one immediately pulled off the rack to be tried on.  She found a forest green in the same sort of material with a slightly different cut to it as well as a slightly thicker plum colored robe.

She took the three into the dressing rooms and quickly decided that she would get all of them.  Who knew where they would be going or what she would need?  It would be better to be prepared than to be without.  Madame Malkin expertly fitted each one to her and she was finally finished with what she needed to get done.  A quick look at her time piece showed her that it was almost 3 and time to meet up with Severus at the Floo fireplace.

Snape had been finished for a few minutes few Hermione had reappeared, carrying a bag with her purchases.  His had already been Floo-ed back to the Manor.  She looked tired but happier than she had been a few hours before.  He felt his stomach rumble and realized he had eaten anything since breakfast.  A glance at the clock told him that there was enough time to get a bite to eat before they started the potion.  The first couple steps were relatively easy after all.

"Hello, Hermione," he greeted her in his normal, unemotional tone.  "Find everything you needed?"

"Yes, of course I did.  The wand took a bit, but I eventually found the right one and I purchase three new sets of nicer day robes which I hope should be sufficient."

He nodded.  "That is acceptable.  Neither of us has had any food since breakfast.  I would propose that we eat something before we return to the Manor.  Floo-ing on an empty stomach is not pleasant."

She didn't realize that she was hungry until he had said something about it.  "That would be wonderful."  And so, for the second time, Hermione and Severus had lunch together at the Leaky Cauldron.

{Author's Note:  Yeah, I know took me long enough with research for chapter 5 and I didn't put any Author's Notes there because I didn't want to ruin the flow of the poem, which was actually a random strike of inspiration but it came out cool.  I actually have a few good reasons that I stopped writing for a few weeks, namely I have been busy: a) It was production week of the school musical (Titanic) which meant I stayed after school from 3pm to about 6:30, 7:00 pm one week and then from 4:00 pm to 10:30 pm for the first three days of the following week and then Thursday was the in-school performance and Friday and Saturday were the shows complete with cast parties afterwards until 2 in the morning; b) My eighteenth birthday was March 13; c) I was officially announced as Valedictorian of the graduating class of 2004 at my high school; d) the weekend after the play I went to visit Clarkson University, which is where I am planning to attend for college.  Yeah…enough was happening there and then we can always throw in two doctor's appointments to get physical papers filled out for college plus a dentist appointment and the usually allergy shots and the overload of homework since we are getting very close to AP exams.

**RebelRikki**:  Yes they do have castles and they will visit one of the castles sometime during the fic.  As for Chapter 5, I did fix a few lines, but that was the work of me, some sort of sugary substance, most likely chocolate, and my trusty rhyming dictionary.  It was honestly written in a night, but the research on all the ingredients took a whole lot longer.

**Karen Detroit**:  Nope, haven't heard anything about the next book.  I hope it comes out soon, but more likely it will take a while.  Hermione's personality is honestly based a lot on me since I am told I am one of the smart kids, which is true.  I hope your muse comes back. I miss reading your fics.

**Chibidaima**: Potion work will start soon.  I hope the recipe helped stave off your interest in that for a while.

**Toreen**:  Thanks again for the beta offer!  I really appreciate it!

**Kira**: Good, that was the reaction I was hoping for.  I tried checking out your blog, but the page did not want to come up.  My computer decided that it no longer existed.

**Lyn**: Thanks!  I like relationship progressions, too, hence why I am attempting one.

**Belle Mortis**:  I get your point.  Don't worry; there will be a good amount of SSHG.

**Daintress**:  Thanks!  I know Snape seems a bit of ooc, but I have an idea and my Snape is a bit confused and his reasoning was a safety concern, which made sense to me, but probably no one else.  He will get back in character eventually.

**Yeoldecrazy1**:  Thanks!  It's nice to know my plot is original considering I've had stories with original plots and characters and posted them and was then told it was very similar to a story that I had never read.

**Angel2707**:  Thanks!  I'm glad you are still enjoying it!

**Squiggle**:  Thanks!  If you want, I set up a list to send out update notices for this fic.  Just leave me your e-mail address in a review and I will send a notice when the next chapter is posted.


	7. Grand Tour

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this.}

This chapter goes to my Beta, Toreen, for being awesome and proofing this in a very short amount of time.  Thanks!

**Chapter 7**

**Grand Tour**

It was half past four by the time they returned to Snape Manor.  Severus looked at his watch, confirmed the time and then turned to Hermione.  "Take care of you packages.  We still have time tonight to start outlining how we are going to create this potion.  I will return shortly to bring you to my laboratory."

 "Will I eventually get a complete tour of the house?" she asked before he could turn away.  "It would make life a bit easier and you wouldn't have to escort me everywhere."

Snape glared at her as if she hadn't thought before she opened her mouth.  "There are places in this house that are dangerous for you to be around."

"If you pointed them out, I would be able to avoid them."

"Or your insatiable curiosity would be much too tempted by knowing you were not supposed to be in certain places."

The Slytherin was too stubborn for his own good, but Hermione's mind was working quickly.  "What if I wanted a snack from the kitchen and got lost trying to find it?  I couldn't just open doors to find where I am without knowing if anything would jump out at me or wander around for hours until I get back to a place I know."

Snape almost wished she was still a student and he could take points away from her for asking too many questions, but he couldn't.  She was right in one aspect that the knowledge would be better for her to have than not.  "Very well.  You will get a _brief_," he emphasized the word heavily, "tour before we consider how we solve our puzzle.  I will meet you at your room in a few minutes."   He swooped away in his familiar swish of black, leaving Hermione shaking her head at his retreating form.

She would never understand him, no matter how hard she tried.  One moment, he could be perfectly civil and the next, he could be as prickly as a saguaro cactus.  She knew she would have to deal with him, if only to save Hogwarts from its predicted doom.  It would be a challenge, but she knew men well enough to know that there were ways of showing them who is boss.  Perenelle Flamel had advised her at a great length how to deal with difficult men.  After all, she had been with her husband for more centuries than even she could remember.

Hermione smiled to herself fondly as she remembered the ancient couple who had taken her in as an apprentice.  They had both been sweet, yet brilliant people, with Perenelle teaching her as much as Nicholas did, if not just about alchemy and potions.  She knew that was one of the few reasons she was asked to work with Snape on the project.  Flamel had instilled more important knowledge in her than anyone else could and she knew more about potions than anyone else her age.

Closing the door to her room, Hermione quickly hung up her new robes.  Glancing around at her rather sparse amount of clothing, she selected a simple pair of blue jeans with a tank top and an oxford styled shirt pulled over it.  It was comfortable, but classy and easy to work in if the need be.  She had enough time to only wash her face and run a quick detangling charm through her hair before a knock sounded at the door.

Severus stood outside the closed door, wondering why she wasn't already waiting for him.  "It's open," he heard her voice call out to him.  Against his better judgment, he turned the knob to enter the room and found Hermione quickly plaiting her hair into a thick braid down her back.  At least she was being practical, he decided to himself.  There were too many females that he had met who took to impractical hair that could get caught in the fires underneath the cauldron or easily get tangled in the ingredients.  She wrapped a small band around the end and looked up at him with a small smile.  "Okay, where to first?"

"This way," he stepped out the room, not without noticing that she had changed out of her robes and into what was obviously Muggle styled clothing.  He would have to warn her not to bring any of that with them when they had to travel.  It was inappropriate for the places they would have to visit.

He led her to the main entrance hall first.  "This the most common entrance to the house, though it is not used other than for formal occasions.  Usually it is easier to Apparate or Floo.  I have already reconfigured the wards to accept you through them in either case."

She nodded thoughtfully.  "Thank you."  It made sense that an ex-Death Eater would thoroughly ward his house against unknown entrances.  From the front door, she was taken to the main dining room, which was used the same amount of the time as the front entrance.  The formal room was connected to the smaller dining room they had eaten in the night before, which was attached to a rather elaborate kitchen.

"I do have a few house elves to care for the buildings when I am gone.  I believe you have already met Nolly," Snape gestured to the elf in the paisley tea cozy as she gave a deep curtsy.  "And the other one is Binky."  The second elf wore an oversized striped pillow case that clashed horribly with Nolly's tea cozy.  He gave a bow that touched his knobby head to the floor towards the two humans.  Snape addressed the elves directly, making sure that they knew Hermione's place in the house.  "Both of you are to treat Hermione with respect at all times.  She is my guest and will be staying with us for the next few months.  It will be good of you to remember your manners."

"Yes, Master!" both elves squeaked in unison.  "We is good house elves!"

"Good.  We will be having a later dinner, most likely in my lab.  I will call you when we are ready."

"Thank you, Master!" the elves looked overjoyed at being able to prepare food for their beloved human.

Snape noticed Hermione looking slightly green at his elves and vaguely remembered the time when she attempted to free the house elves at Hogwarts.  It had been a stupid idea, but the girl obviously still did not feel completely comfortable with the creatures yet.  "Come along, Hermione," he went out another door in the kitchen to a small sitting room, obviously unused.  The couches were untouched and the fireplace looked like it had not been lit in years.  "This room is rarely used any more ever since the closet was cursed by my great-uncle."

"What's wrong with the closet now?" she asked concern evident in her voice.

Severus looked at her seriously.  "It turned carnivorous.  My great-uncle found it hysterically amusing when he lured one of his enemies into hanging a cloak up in it and needless to say, the man became no more.  It was a quite a pity when he accidentally opened it while looking for his winter boots one day.  We haven't been able to lift curse since he passed away."

"Oh."  Her face looked a little pale at the thought of opening that door in the middle of the night.  "I see why you didn't want me exploring.  I wouldn't want to stumble into that accidentally."

"Exactly."  Outside the sitting room was a hallway, actually the same one they had started in except at the opposite end.  "I think you will enjoy this room," Severus said smoothly, not liking how white her face had become at the people-eating closet.  He opened the large doors, revealing something that Hermione would appreciate to no end.

"My family has a large collection of books so my father found it necessary to create a room large enough to house them all.  This is the Snape family library.  If there is anything you are interested in, one of the elves should be able to help you locate it.  I will warn you that many of these books are dangerous.  Most of those are on the second level, but there are most likely a few that escaped to these shelves."

"Wow," Hermione gasped in awe.  Certainly, it was not as grand as the one at Hogwarts or many of the other libraries she had visited, but the prospect of having shelves of books at her fingertips was breath-taking.  "I'm allowed in here?" she asked, unsure if he would take it all away from her.

"We will have to do some research on this and the library does hold a large amount of knowledge to research from.  Naturally, yes, I will allow you free reign of the library.  I have a feeling I would not be able to keep you out of it otherwise," Severus was unable to hide the smirk on his face.  At least he knew she wouldn't completely hate him now that she had access to a room of books.

She grinned widely, knowing what he had said was absolutely true.  "It would be difficult to resist.  Thank you."

He nodded once in acceptance of her gratitude.  "At the far end of this room, is my father's old office.  It is heavily warded and I would not suggest attempting to go inside it.  He is the only who can break through the wards at the moment.  They tend to singe anyone else who attempts to open the door."

"I'll be careful," she promised.

Snape took her up a small staircase in the farthest corner of the library.  "There are a total of three staircases in the house: this one, one leading up from the kitchens, and a main one in the center of the house.  This one will take you up to the second level of the library.  I would prefer if you did not explore this area in too much depth; most of the books up here are from many centuries worth of Dark Arts collecting."

"I will try not to."

"Very well," he walked through an open door into a mahogany wood paneled room.  "This is my private office, though I seldom use it.  It is the only way to get into the upper library level and usually is kept warded."

Outside the door to the office was the fireplace that Hermione recognized as the one they had Floo-ed from.  "This is the only Floo access in the house?" she asked curiously.

"Yes.  At the moment, the fireplace will allow any member of the Snape family through, as well as Albus Dumbledore, and yourself.  Any one else is automatically sent to a holding cell in the dungeon."

Hermione's eyes widened and she hoped he was jesting.  "You're not joking about that, are you?"

"No.  We Snapes prefer our privacy.  The fireplace is spelled to alert me if anyone enters who is not on the list of those who can.  It is simply easier to remove the people to a place where they cannot do any harm instead of letting them have free roam of the house."

The next door opened to reveal a darkly painted bedroom with accents of green, navy, and silver.  "This is the master bedroom.  As far as I know, there are no major spells attached to this area, but one can never be certain."  He gestured to a far door only partially open.  "Over there is the nursery.  It can only be accessed through this room or through the stairway up from the kitchen."

They then moved to another bedroom done in shades of green and an herb motif.  "This was my mother's sitting room, but it was changed into an extra bedroom when they moved to the other house," he explained briefly.

Hermione recognized the next door as the one leading to her room.  "And that one is the room I am staying in?"

"Correct.  I apologize about the pink, but it is the only room I know is completely safe from curses.  Mother's plants in the last room tend to get a little wild every so often."

"What do you mean?"

"They came alive once when I was a young boy and strangled an aunt my mother did not particularly like."

She paled again at the thought of staying in the house where people were known to die from inanimate objects.  "My room is completely safe, then?  The daisies won't attack me in the middle of the night?"

"Don't worry about it.  I had Albus check the room over.  He said it was perfectly safe."

"Good," she was a little more relieved about her living arrangement.  "What's behind the last door?"

"It's an additional bedroom."  He opened the door to reveal a room of pale, sky blue with wispy clouds moving across the ceiling.  "I was going to let you have this room, but sometimes the environment can turn temperamental.  I remember when it would not stop raining in here for weeks after my sister left.  Somehow the room became very attached to her.  I wasn't sure how it would react to a new inhabitant."

Hermione knew better than to pry.  She figured that if Severus wanted to tell her about his family, he would but she would not force him to do so.  "I see," she paused.  "So all we have left is the laboratory?"

"Correct.  We'll go down through the main stairs."  He brought her to an ornate wooden staircase with serpents heads carved at the ends of the banisters.  After descending past the first floor and down another, they reached the bottom floor.  "This is the lowest level of the house.  My laboratory is through this door.  The other rooms down here include a set of holding cells for any prisoners, a torture chamber, and a room full items pertaining to the Dark Arts.  All those rooms are heavily guarded, so be careful about going near them."  He led her inside his laboratory.  "The password to get inside is '_atropa belladonna_.'  I suggest you remember it well."

"I will," she promised, eager to see inside.

Severus spoke the password in a soft voice and the door swung open.  "This is where we will be doing the majority of the work on the potion."  He allowed her to take in the vastness of the area.

The laboratory was extremely impressive from Hermione's point of view.  It had everything she had imagined to find in a potion's lab and more.  Everything was meticulously clean and set up.  Over on one table, a cauldron sat over a fire with a thick purple liquid bubbly furiously in it.  On another a table, a distilling set was hard at work with a pale, watery red substance.  Two doors stood guard further down the wall.

"The far door is my personal ingredient storage space and the closer one will bring you a room I set up for you in case we needed to stay up all night with the potion."  The interior of that room turned out to be another mahogany paneled room with an overstuffed black leather couch and matching wingback arm chairs.  A fireplace stood nobly on the opposite wall and next to it yet another doorway.  A low table in front of the couch and a small desk in the corner completed the decorations.  "Through the remaining doorway are my personal quarters.  Is that sufficient enough of a tour for you?"

"Yes, thank you," she replied politely.  "So I suppose we should see what we can figure out tonight?"

"Yes, that was my plan.  I have a copy of the recipe here.  I have decided the best course of action would be to translate the writings into something easier to read before we begin."

"That's what I was thinking as well," Hermione replied as she sat down on one end of the couch, pulling a small notebook and Muggle fountain pen out of her pocket.  She had found that it was easier to write with simpler devices than quills, even though the wizarding world seemed stuck on the feathery writing tools.  "I take it we are working in here?"

"Yes."  Snape pulled a roll of parchment off his desk and took a seat next to her on the couch.  It would be easiest if they could both see the parchment at once.  "Here is what Albus supplied me with."  He handed her one of the copies and she reread it.

"Well, at least they give us an ingredients list, even if it is rather specific, but the instructions are a bit confusing."

"Which is why we have some work to do, Miss Granger."

"It's Hermione," she reminded him.

Severus took no notice.  He knew she had requested that he call her by her given name, but at the moment, he felt more like a professor than anything else to her.  He didn't quite know how much she knew about the subject they would be working on, though he suspected it was more than he realized.  To him, having taught her for seven years, she would always be his student until she managed to prove him otherwise.

{Author's Note:  Alright, I apologize for the delay, but life has been hellish lately.  I had an AP Literature and Comprehension test on Thursday, May 6 and an AP European History Test on Friday, May 7 and I had to study beyond all belief for them.  On top of those, the production date of the spring drama production was May 7 and 8, right after the tests.  Of course, this also happened to be the week where everything came into bloom, making my allergies hate me to no end.  But somehow I managed to write this chapter and part of the next one, which was originally all of one chapter, but it got over 3,000 words and I decided to split it before it got way too long.  So read and enjoy this one and the next one will come soon!

Angel2707:  Thanks!  I plan to keep it going.

Azulkan2:  Thanks!  I know it was sad, but I wanted a way to push Hermione away from her parents and into Sev's arms, so it worked.

Gemz:  That was my point, actually.  By having Hermione's father disown her, she would be forced to have Sev to rely on.

Little One:  Yes, I am in marching band.  I play clarinet and have been in the band for three years.  I will beg to differ though, love at first sight does work once in a while, but it wouldn't work with these characters.  Thanks for the long review.  It made me happy.

Chibidaima:  Thank you!  That's the first time this story has been called beautiful.

RebelRikki:  You might have to steal them from her, but if you ask nicely, she might even let you borrow the crimson day robes some time.  Yes, Severus will give more hugs in the future.

Peace, Love, and Lots of Tea, Nataly Ravenlock}


	8. Clashing Interests

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this.}

Toreen, you rock!  Thanks again!

**Chapter 8**

**Clashing Interests**

"Well," Hermione decided to continue the conversation since Severus was unlikely to.  "The first stanza is self-explanatory from what I can tell.  All it basically says is that a man and a woman must work together to create the potion and that the potion is used to restore Hogwarts."  She jotted that down in her notebook, finding that her position on the couch was not the best to write with.  "Would you mind if I sat on the floor?  It would be easier for me to take notes that way."

"Go right ahead."

"Alright," she slid down the floor where she could use the coffee table to steady her notebook.  "Alright…step one."

Snape read aloud the first few lines.  "Set Mulberry Leaves on the altar for a night/ Use them before the morning's first light/ Protected with a black candle they shall be/ Until brewed into a strong tea/ Here Athena you must invoke/ Or the potion will start to smoke."

"That seems simple enough.  Does it say anything about when the Mulberry leaves must be gathered?"

"Just before sunset.  They are more potent when picked fresh."

"Good.  So step one would be to gather the," she consulted the parchment for the amount, "twelve Mulberry leaves just before the sun sets.  We will have to create an altar for them to be placed on for a night and we will need a black candle to burn next to them.  They have to be used around dawn by brewing them into a tea.  Anything else?"

"We have to invoke the goddess Athena as we make the tea," he added and Hermione wrote it down.

"So that's step one.  What's next?"

Severus read the next few lines to himself.  "The next step would be to add two ounces of Fennel seeds gathered at Summer Solstice and stir counter clockwise seven times."  He waited until she was done writing before continuing.  "The potion must brew until midnight, when eight blossoms of Lucerne are needed.  These must be gathered at the full moon and dried before being burned so the ashes can be placed in the mixture.  It then must be stirred six times with a rod of Witch Hazel."

Hermione looked up at him.  "Does it mention the direction?"

"No, it does not.  We will have to experiment with that part."

She noted what he said in the margin by the third step.  "Next?"

"We will have to visit Helga Hufflepuff's personal gardens."

"What for?" Hermione asked as her colleague paused momentarily.

"Mandrake root," he stated dully.

"Is that a problem?"

"The type of Mandrake it requires is called True Mandrake.  It has been extinct for centuries and before that it was extremely rare."

"Oh," she thought about it.  "Is there anything we can substitute for it?"

"We will have to find something."

She added a question mark near the step about the Mandrake root.  "What else has to be done with it?"

"Stir it four times clockwise and wait for eighty-six hours.  Then add five full heads of Angelica flowers, letting it sit until Mid-Summer's Eve."

"That gives us a long amount of time to figure other parts out.  It didn't say when were supposed to start this, did it?"

Severus scanned the parchment again, becoming agitated when it did not have an answer to his query.  "It makes no mention of it.  At a minimum we would have to start four days and fourteen hours before Mid-Summer's Eve.  I would suggest beginning soon since it states that the potion must sit until that date."

Hermione nodded.  "So we see what we need to figure out before starting it and that will give us some time.  What do we do once Mid-Summer's Eve comes around?"

"We go back to Hufflepuff's garden and pick four fiddleheads of Bracken fern, three Vervain flowers and one white water lily.  The fiddleheads are added first.  After a day, the Vervain is added along with one agate, one opal, and six drops of liquid Mercury."

"Does it specify the type of agate or opal?"

"A small one," he snapped back.  Did this girl honestly think he had all the answers?  What they were working with had no specifications or exact details, hence why it would take a while to comprehend it completely.

Hermione took his comment as Snape simply being his snarky self.  "I was wondering because they come in different colors, like a white opal verses a fire opal.  They have different qualities attached to them and I was thinking about how they would affect the potion's outcome."

"I fully realize that.  I've worked with temperamental ingredients longer than you have been alive in this world."

"I'm just trying to help."

"You would help more by keeping your comments to yourself and letting me handle this."

"We're supposed to be working together."

"'_Supposed to'_ is the key term.  If I had it my way, I would be doing this alone."

"Except you can't because it is specified that it needs both a man and a woman to work together in order for the potion to be effective.  So if you want Hogwarts to survive, you're going to have to deal with me."

"I could deal with you better if you would stop asking so many bloody questions!"

"Fine, have it your way!"  Hermione threw her notebook on the table as she stormed out through the door.  That man was being impossible to deal with.  Again.  She ran up the stairs, having no certain destination in mind.  Somehow she found an exit to the outside and found herself in a lush garden.  Even though it was November, the plants still bloomed in their summer glory.  Rosebushes dotted a plot to her right in carefully planted precision.  In front of her stood a stand of fruit trees and to the left was a bed of various herbs.  She could smell the heady scents of lavender, basil, and rosemary heavy in the air.  Spotting an open area under a cherry tree, she sat down, just needing a place to stop and think.

Severus watched her stomp out from his room in a fury.  He didn't understand what he did to make her get that upset at him.  She obviously did not understand how frustrating it was to have a list of ingredients and not know the specifics about types, or times, or the duration it would take to brew.  There were too many variables and too many things that could go wrong.  He had encountered such potions like this one before, but none as complex, none in which the fate of something important rested upon being able to brew it correctly.

To make things worse, he knew that he would have to deal with her for the entire duration of the project, which if he was correct in his computation, would not be completed until sometime in September.  If they started out at each other's throats, the next ten months would not be pleasant for either of them and if he wanted to survive past the end of the project, they would be forced to get along.

The Slytherin sighed to himself as he stood up and stretched.  He supposed he would have to go find the girl before she got herself into more trouble than she could handle.  Women were always more difficult than they should be and it was always the men who had to deal with them.

Whatever happened, he would not apologize.  She would have to learn her place.  He had the experience and knowledge needed to lead this project and she would learn it best to listen to his decisions.  Her questions had always irked him to no end.  No matter what, Hermione Granger had always been there in his class; hand in the air to answer whatever question he had asked.  It never changed day in or day out.

At first, he had decided that she was just showing off her knowledge to be obnoxious, but after a while he realized that it was something else, something more than that.  She didn't answer the questions to show off; she did it to challenge herself.  The girl wanted to become the best she possibly could and to do so she felt she had to know everything.  It didn't help that few of her classmates had obtained the knowledge she had or that she managed to acquire an insatiable thirst for wisdom.  She simply wanted to learn more.

It was how she went about learning more that bothered him the most.  He would have preferred to work in silence without her incessant chatter or questions.  She was always asking him 'why?'  It was a constant barrage of "why did this work?" or "why didn't that work?"  There was never any quiet acceptance; she needed a reason behind everything.

She challenged him, too.  With the girl always wanting answers, he felt that he would have to provide them in order to still be above her.  He couldn't let her be his equal; his mind would not accept that.  She would always be his student; a child in comparison to his intelligence.  Deep in his mind, he knew that she was more brilliant than he gave her credit for, but she had yet to earn his full respect.

Severus decided that the best course of action would to find where she had run off to and then proceed to talk some sense into her.  Depending on where she was, the house could get dangerous after dark, especially if she had found her way outside.

The first place he checked was her room, but found no signs of her presence there.  The library also brought similar results.  Deciding that there had to be an easier way to locate her, he visited the kitchen.  Hermione was not there either, but his two elves were.

"Have either of you seen Hermione?" he inquired sharply.

Nolly nodded so energetically that he thought her ears would fly off.  "Mistress went outside.  Nolly is good house elf and brought Mistress her cloak."

"Thank you, Nolly."  Snape stormed out the door into the gardens.  It figured that she would have ended up here.  He looked around, not finding her anywhere in sight.  A second glance made him notice a small, dark lump with frizzy hair underneath one of the fruit trees.  He approached her cautiously, not wanting to have her go off at him again.  Once he had gotten close enough to be certain it was her, he spoke softly, "Hermione?"

"What?  Have you come to belittle me again?" She didn't even turn to look at him.

"No," he said slowly.  "I've come to talk with you.  Do you mind if I sit?"  He knew he would have to take it slow with her at first if he was to win back a bit of her trust.

"It's your garden, isn't it?"

Severus sat down next to her, wondering how she managed to sit comfortably with her knees pulled tightly into her chest.  "Yes, it is, though at the moment, I think you have laid claim to this particular tree."

There was a pause before she replied, "Well?"

"I'm not going to apologize for earlier and I am not going to force you to apologize either."

"That's good, because I wasn't planning to.  You came all the way out just to tell me that you refuse to apologize?"

"Not precisely.  I think we got off on the wrong side of each other."

"And how long did it take you to figure that out?"

Snape wondered how she could manage to be so harsh at so young an age.  "It was very obvious to see."

"So what do you want to do about it?"

"At the moment, I would suggest we go inside.  It's dark out and the temperature is dropping quickly."

"Fine, inside it is."

Severus stood up first and offered a hand to assist her.  After glaring at it for a moment, she took it, allowing him to help her stand.  He brought her in through a door that lead to the library where there was a set of two chairs and a blazing fireplace waiting for them.  "Sit and we shall talk."  He gestured to one of the chairs.  She took a seat, still glaring at him.

He made eye contact before beginning once again.  "It occurred to me after you stormed out of the lab, that we had begun this project in the wrong way."

"Oh?"

"Yes.  Tell me, Hermione, was your job at the Ministry satisfying?"

A confused expression crossed her face before she answered.  She wondered for a fleeting second why he was asking, but chose to reply any way.  "No, not particularly.  At first it was, but then the stuff they were having me research was boring and not incredibly challenging.  It was something a fourth year student could have easily figured out."

"You were used to being more intelligent than those you worked with, were you not?"

"Yes."  It was completely true.  She hated how the people at the Ministry had trouble thinking for themselves.  "I kept wondering how some of the people there had even managed to pass their OWLs."

"That is exactly as I suspected.  You are used to working with people of lesser intelligence."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"From spending too many years as a professor, I have learned that working with those who are not up to your level causes a person to look down upon others without realizing it.  What I managed to derive from what you told me, you are simply used to being in charge and being forced to spell everything out to your coworkers."

"True," she admitted.

"Good," Severus nodded thoughtfully.  "Then I believe we have this settled."

Hermione looked at him, not completely understanding what he was implying.  "What's settled?"

"You and I are alike in more ways than you may think, Hermione Granger.  I, too, am used to working with incompetents and assume those who work with me are necessarily part of that group."

"So all you're saying is that we are both intelligent human beings and should be able to sort through this conundrum without biting each other's heads off?"

"Correct."  He was impressed that she managed to decipher what he had been saying, even if her way was not as eloquent.

"So you won't treat me as an insignificant child if I respect your ideas as well."

"Yes."

Hermione smiled shyly as she stood up to approach him.  She stuck out her hand.  "Truce, Severus?"

"Truce."  He placed his hand in hers.

{Author's Note:  For those of you wondering, the Founders' Potion is based on a large amount of research I did on herb lore and other stuff.  Most of what I am basing it on is Wicca.  Being the person I am, I forgot to tag all the sites I used namely since there were so many, so therefore I am stating that any information about what any of the ingredients in the Founders' Potion are used for is NOT mine.  I cannot and will not be held accountable if any of you choose to try this at home, which I do not suggest.  Other than that, read, review, and enjoy!

Squiggle:  You must have been away for a while.  It took me a few weeks to update!  You have now officially been added to my list so you will get notified when I update.  Thanks for reviewing!

Alanfan:  I'm glad you are enjoying it.  If you want to know when I update, just drop your e-mail in a review and I will keep you posted.

BlueLemons:  I enjoy snarky Snape.  He's much more fun that way and I still have a difficult time seeing him as warm and cuddly as amusing as it is.  As for the house, that's what happens when I get put on various meds for allergies and then bronchitis.  The chapter was actually written in the two days following the AP tests and everything else, so it was more of a release of built up ideas after I was free instead of keeping up at it with everything going on.

Angel2707:  I've converted someone into liking Snape as a character!  Yay!  How I see him is that he is a difficult man being forced to do some things he did not want to do and was unhappy with life.  I figure after the war, he is still not an entirely nice guy, but he is more human than before.

Stargazer Starluver:  Thanks!  You know, people keep telling me that they liked this chapter…maybe I should get sick and medicated more often.  It seems I write better that way.  I'm glad you enjoyed the house.  As for Hermione, considering Rowling mentions her character as flawed in the books with the frizzy hair and the teeth (even though they were fixed), it's hard to make her perfect.  I also have a hunch that Snape would not go for perfect women since he is far from perfect himself.  I dunno, that's just my opinion for you.

Azulkan2:  The main plot is going to be based on the gathering of the ingredients so it should be progressing nicely from now on.

Eternal Queen:  The thing is, I didn't have any time to write.  Chapters 7 and 8 were a complete release of the days after the tests and the play.  I honestly sat and wrote for a few hours nonstop.  Really?  How did your Titanic go?  Ours kicked butt!  Except for the end of act 1 the one night where our Mr. Fleet accidentally broke the bell as he rang it to warn of the iceberg and when we kept breaking things during 'Dressed in your Pyjamas.'  Other than that it was awesome!

RebelRikki:  People seem to like the man eating closet.  I suppose I will have to mention it more often.  Maybe feed stuff to it…That would be amusing.  I'm not sure how to get yours to do that though.  You'll have to ask Snape's dead uncle.

Peace, Love, and Popsicles, Nataly Ravenlock}


	9. Another Attempt

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this.}

**Chapter 9**

**Another Attempt**

Hermione glanced at the hand grasping her own.  She noticed the strong bone structure and elongated fingers.  They were rather elegant if one did not notice the numerous scars crisscrossing the skin.  Maybe the scars made them more appropriate to someone who had worked his entire life perfecting his talents on potions.  It was a show of knowledge, badges of honor and trials faced in life.  On top of it all, she decided they were sexy.

She nearly jumped as he let go.  Did she just think that Severus Snape had sexy hands?  Yes, she had, hadn't she?  That was not right.  She was not supposed to think those kinds of things about men such as him.  He was old enough to be her father!  And he was a greasy, over grown bat with a rather protruding nose!  Maybe he wasn't quite as disgusting as he had been at Hogwarts, but she still should not think of her ex-professor as 'sexy.'  Still, they were nice hands…

Severus gracefully stood up from his armchair.  "It has gotten quite late.  Would you mind breaking for a snack before we finish sorting out the potion?"

Hermione's stomach grumbled in response.  "Not at all.  I didn't realize I was hungry."

"It is perfectly understandable.  We will be eating in the laboratory.  The stairs in the corner go directly down there."

The staircase brought them into a far corner of the laboratory.  She could see the fireplace flickering in the shadows from the open door to the workroom.  As they entered, she gasped seeing platters of food neatly set out across the coffee table.  "How did they know to bring it all down here?"

"My house elves are well trained.  They know when to listen."

"Oh," she said simply, looking at the assortment of simple foods ranging from a crock of soup next to a loaf of bread to an assortment of meats and cheeses paired with various fruits as she returned to her previous seat on the floor.

"It is normally considered polite to let the lady be served first, but if you are going to sit and gawk, I will gladly help myself."

Hermione chose a shiny apple and began to cut it into thin slices.  The slices were places on a piece of bread and covered with a sliver of cheese.  Snape watched her for a moment and then proceeded to fill a bowl with soup for himself.

"What kind of soup is that?" she asked curiously, not recognizing the thick mixture.

"Hot and Sour; it's Chinese."

"It doesn't look very appetizing."

"Suit yourself.  My house elves have learned to make it to a degree of perfection."

She dished a small ladleful into an empty bowl and tasted it.  It was tangy with the aftertaste of hot pepper that burned pleasantly inside of her mouth.  Her eyes watered slightly.  She prodded a mushroom floating in the bowl with her spoon.  "It's very spicy, but not too terrible.  What else is in it besides mushrooms?"

"Are you certain you want to know?" Severus smirked as Hermione swallowed another spoonful of soup.

"Yes."

His smirk widened.  "It has a chicken broth base with a bit of vinegar.  The soft strips are tofu.  The crunchy pieces are Chinese cabbage.  You already found the mushrooms and hot pepper.  The rest is an egg that has been dropped into the hot broth and of course," he paused for effect, "Seaweed."

She stopped her spoon midway to her mouth.  "Seaweed?"

"Those are the darker bits."

She set the bowl back on the table, deciding it would have been safer to ask first before she tried anything new, especially around Severus Snape.

He continued, "It really is quite good if you ignore some of the actual ingredients.  It works well for clearing out head congestion."

"You can have it all for yourself," she returned to her apple and cheese open-faced sandwich.  Noticing her notebook nearby on the floor, she picked it up and began reading what they had done so far.  It seemed that they had managed to get about halfway through the recipe.  She wiped the remaining crumbs of bread from around her lips.

"Shall we continue?" he inquired expectantly, not wanting to provoke any more arguments than he had to.

"I don't see why not.  We were up to the Vervain," Hermione replied, uncapping her pen.

Severus retrieved his roll of parchment.  The table was magically cleared as the house elves showed once again how useful they could be.  All that remained was a kettle of hot tea and two mugs.  Snape poured himself a cup of Earl Grey, inhaling the heady bergamot fumes.  "Add a note that we must invoke Diana before adding the Vervain."

She scribbled it by the step.  "Do you have any other teas than Earl Grey?  I never cared very much for that one."

With a pop, one of the house elves appeared.  "Mistress want tea?" it squeaked excitedly.  "What tea does Mistress want?"  It was nearly hopping up and down in anticipation of being able to perform a task for the new Mistress.

"Do you have any mint tea?  With maybe a little bit of chamomile?"

"Oh, Yes!  We have whatever Mistress desires!"  A large steaming mug appeared on the table next to her.

"Thank you," she smiled at the little creature.

"No need to thank Binky, Mistress.  I is doing my job!"  He disappeared with another pop.

"You shouldn't treat them like that, Hermione.  House elves are servants and they enjoy being servants.  It does not matter if you are kind to them or not."

"They deserve something better than slave labor.  They aren't even getting paid anything at all for the work they do!  And think about it, they could be happier if they were paid and had more privileges.  A happy servant works better.  It's a proven fact."

Severus cut her off before she could ramble on.  He recalled her futile attempts to free the house elves during her second year and knew she still felt strongly about the topic.  "Next step," he spoke sternly.  "Add one white water lily in its entirety at midnight.  Wait nineteen days until the potion changes to green."

She gestured with her pen for him to continue.

"After that we must travel to Aventine Hill in Rome, Italy to gather wax myrtle.  The goddess Venus must be invoked as the myrtle is dropped slowly into the potion."

Those instructions got written down as well.  "What's next?"

"We will need to locate dove feathers.  The potion requires two of them."

"That shouldn't be too difficult."

"Doves are uncommon in the wizarding word."

"But not in the Muggle," she replied.

He nodded in agreement.  What she said was true, though he did not relish the idea of traveling to that part of society.  He could do without having to deal with Muggles, but if it was for saving Hogwarts, he supposed he would do anything he had to.  "Note that we may have to travel to the Muggle world to locate them.  Add two leaves of sage in the morning for nine days.  Then cast a pentacle carved out of a jade stone into the mixture."

"Are pentacles common in the Wizarding world?"

"Not entirely, but there are places where they can be found or made if the need be."

"Alright.  If not, we can always check the New Age shops that the Muggles have.  They would probably carry something like what we need.  What's after that?"

"Dragon's claw and Phoenix feather; they must be put in at the same time.  It has to sit for two weeks and be stirred once every day.  The next step is what we are going to have the most difficulty with."

"What is it?" Hermione questioned, glancing up at him from her place on the floor.

"We need to acquire unicorn blood, given freely, which means we cannot buy it anywhere since the major sources of those vials are mostly likely from unicorns that have been killed."

"Is there a way to get a vial without harming the unicorn?"

"Yes.  There are spells that can be cast but they may only be used if the creature is completely willing.  It they sense any small bit of malice, the spells will not work."

"We'll have to find a willing unicorn then."

"Astute observation.  Our main concern is where we will find one easily.  It is not enough to go wandering through the forest in hope that one appears."

"Hogwarts," Hermione spoke softly, remembering the dead unicorn from her first year.  "There are unicorns in the Forbidden Forest."

"That would be our best option.  Albus will make sure we are protected and we would not have to worry about unwanted guests appearing when we don't want them to."

"I take it I will be the one to approach the unicorn."

"Naturally, that would be our only viable option."  He did not mention that unicorns would want to be as far away as possible from him at all times due to his work with the Dark Arts.  The pure ones would not approach one as tainted as himself.  He hoped Hermione was still pure enough after her part in the Final Battle that the creature would still come to her.

Severus continued, "After the blood is added, the potion is to be stirred three times.  It will then sit for a month before it can be used.  At that time, we must go to the lowest depths of the castle and locate the corner stone. The runes of Thurisaz, Algiz, Eihwaz, Ansuz, Daeg, and Perth must be carved into the corner stone when the moon is full.  The potion is then poured over it as incantation is spoken."

Hermione finished writing and looked up at him once more.  "Is that everything?"

"It is."

"Here is what I have:  Step 1: Mulberry leaves must be set on an altar for a night with a black candle.  Before dawn they must be brewed into a tea and Athena must be invoked.  Step 2: Add fennel seeds and stir counterclockwise seven times.  Step 3: at midnight add Lucerne.  The dried flowers must be burned to ashes and stirred six times.  Step 4: Add one root of Mandrake and stir four times clockwise.  Step 5:  Wait 86 hours before adding angelica flowers.  Do I have it so far?"

"From what I can tell, yes, it is correct."

"Step 6: At Midsummer's Eve, the fern fiddleheads are added.  Step 7: Wait a day to add the Vervain, along with an agate, an opal, and liquid Mercury.  Invoke Diana before doing so.  Step 8: add the water lily at midnight.  Step 9:  After 19 days, the mixture should turn green.  At this point add the wax myrtle slowly while invoking Venus.  Step 10:  Add two dove feathers.  Step 11:  Add two leaves of sage each morning for nine days.  Step 12: Add the Jade pentacle.  Step 13: Simultaneously add a dragon's claw and a phoenix feather.  Step 14:  Wait two weeks to add the Unicorn blood.  Stir three times and wait a month for it to finish.  After completion, bring the potion to the corner stone of the castle and carve six runes into the stone.  Recite an incantation to complete the process."  She took a deep breath.  "That should be all of it."

Snape wrote a few things down on a piece of scrap parchment.  "I have calculated that the entire process will take seventy-seven days and fourteen hours total; four days and fourteen hours are needed at minimum before Midsummer's Eve and 73 days after.  If everything goes as planned, we can have the potion completed by September the fourth."

Hermione thought about what he has stated and did some quick calculations for herself.  "Summer Solstice is June 21 which would make the next full moon after September fourth on the tenth."

"That is what we will have to aim for.  I will write to Albus to tell him of what we have come up with."   The grandfather clock in the corner chimed the hour.  "It is late.  The fireplaces are all interconnected if you wish to Floo back to your room."

"I'd rather walk."

"Very well.  We will start on gathering the ingredients tomorrow.  Can you manage to find your room on your own or do you still require an escort?"

"I should be perfectly fine, now that I know where most of the dangers are located," she replied hoping she didn't end up in the people-eating closet by accident.  "Good night."

Severus made no reply as she exited the room.  He pulled a piece of fresh parchment from his desk and penned a quick note to Albus.

_Dear Albus,_

_I have figured out that the potion will take 77 days and 14 hours to brew completely.  It should be finished by September the fourth though it cannot be used until September the tenth.  We will begin gather ingredients immediately.  Is there any chance that a more qualified partner can be located? I still do not feel Miss Granger has the adequate experience needed to create a complex brew as this one. _

_S.S._

The note was signed by only his initials and sealed with his distinctive crest of an 'S' made out intertwined serpents and vines of ivy.  He left the letter on his desk to be sent out in the morning.

{Author's Note:  Here's chapter 9.  I still don't like this chapter, but it works as a transition, so it will have to stay for now.  Chapter 10 is almost done and that one is a bit more amusing.  Anyway, I have three end-of-the-year projects due in the next two weeks, so therefore, I end up writing.  I make no sense sometimes.  Oh well…

duj: Thanks!  I had fun with his house.  I even drew out diagrams.

Angel2707:  Thanks!  I'm part German, but I don't speak the language.  Unfortunately, they don't offer it at my school.  Maybe in college.  I'm glad you enjoy it so much.

Tomzgurl77:  That was goal: not too fast, but not too slow.  I'm glad it is coming across that way.

Chibidaima: You can have one, as long as you figure out the spell used to make it man-eating.  I think we all could use one every so often.

Belle Mortis: Thanks!

Stargazer starluver:  Actually, that was something I started when I was first writing fan fics.  I created a list for each of my fics and when people review I add their e-mail to the list.  All I have to do is type the list name in and it gets sent out to everyone.  Works very well.  At the moment, I see Hermione as a bit scared of Sev since he was the most feared teacher at Hogwarts, but by nature she is curious and headstrong.  She doesn't mind working with him since she knows he is brilliant.  Sev still regards her as a student since they have yet to do actual work together and he had not seen her since she was a student.  All people have flaws.  It's a given fact.  Don't worry; the romance will come soon enough.  I think they might actually get some hint in chapter 11.

RebelRikki:  No, I did not mention his name.  I might do so in a future chapter.  I suppose that means I have to find a name for him first…Yes they are getting along for the moment.  Sev is trying to be a gracious host at the moment and not scare her off too much.

Peace, Love, and Hershey's Kisses, Nataly Ravenlock}


	10. Bump In The Road

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this.}

**Chapter 10**

**Bump In The Road**

Hermione woke up earlier than normal, still not used to the strangeness of Snape Manor.  The bed was comfortable, but it was the concept of sleeping in her ex-Professor's house that bothered her most.  He had been pleasant enough, considering his usual disposition. She was surprised there had only been one major argument so far, though she suspected there would be more in the future.

At least this was a change of pace from the Ministry work she had been doing.  No longer was she forced to making calming draughts or Veritaserum or any of the other crap that was too simple for her mind to fully enjoy.  Sure, making the Veritaserum was educational the first few times, but after that it got monotonous.  She wasn't sure about the payment she was going to receive for the work she was doing now.  She was saving Hogwarts after all.  It would be enough just to know that she helped keep the school standing. 

Almost anything was better than what she had before.  _She no longer had to deal with rent, preparing her own meals, bills, or any of the other problems that come with living alone._  The only difficulty she had to deal with now was Severus Snape.

He wasn't so bad when she actually thought about it.  He had treated her with enough respect.  Naturally, he was still snarky and moody, but that was typical Snape behavior and was to be expected.  She could deal with his personality problems if only because of his brilliant mind and to save Hogwarts.

She remembered him mentioning that they would start gathering the ingredients today and wondered where that would take them.  Maybe Helga's garden or somewhere else she had never been.  A thought flickered through her head about whether Severus knew where Helga's garden was located.  This thought was followed closely by a second one saying she should look it up in the library.

Hermione quickly went through her morning routine, finding her shower here was much more enjoyable than the one in her apartment that tended to lose pressure every so often.  It was very irritating when the water would suddenly die at the point when her hair was full of shampoo.  Thankfully, those days were over at least for a while.

A set of robes were pulled over a skirt and sweater.  The outfit reminded her of her Hogwarts days though it was missing the house badge and Gryffindor-colored tie.  A satchel completed her attire as she needed something to carry note-taking materials.  She set out for the library that, if she recalled correctly, was only a few doors down the hall.  She entered through the top door and climbed down to the lower section where she quickly lost herself in the books, searching for information on Helga Hufflepuff's elusive garden.

Severus came down to breakfast at his normal time, hoping to find Hermione already there.  She was neither in the kitchen nor in the small dining room they had been using.  His house elves had set the small table with assorted pastries for the morning meal.  They looked untouched.  "Nolly, has Hermione been down for breakfast yet?" he questioned the small creature that had popped in with a plate of toast.

"No, Master," it shook its head.  "Mistress has not eaten yet."

"She's still sleeping," he mused to himself.

"Mistress is in library with Binky," Nolly squeaked.  "Binky is helping find books for Mistress."

Severus nodded slowly; he should have expected as much.  He had wondered how long Hermione Granger could survive without going through his supply of books.  Obviously the answer was not very long.  "Very well, I will find her when I am finished."  Snape ate his breakfast at his normal pace, scanning the Daily Prophet's headlines for any interesting news.  There was something about Malfoy being sighted in Siberia, but he doubted it was true.

Finishing his coffee, Snape decided to locate the missing girl.  He found her as Nolly had stated: in the library, surrounded by piles of books with a frantic Binky searching for more texts.  "Find anything interesting?"

Hermione jumped, hearing his voice come from just above her shoulder.  It took her moment to comprehend that it was her colleague.  "I'm working on it.  I've been trying to find the location of Helga Hufflepuff's private gardens, but nothing I've looked through so far has any mention of their whereabouts."

Snape pulled a chair next to her.  "Did you ever think that she may not want them to be found?"

"I thought about it, but I figured that it would be best to at least try to find a location."

"You haven't had any luck with these texts?"

"Correct," she turned her eyes back to the page she was reading.  "They all talk about the plants she grew and how magnificent her gardens were, but there is nothing about the actual location."

"Which stack have you gone through?"

"That one," she gestured to the piles to the right of her parchment.  "The other ones I have yet to look through.  I was having Binky do a search for anything related to Hufflepuff and herbology."

He picked up a random book, flipped through it and set it back on the stack.  "I'm not certain if my library will have what you are searching for.  We may have to look in other places that have more information.  Most of the books here tend to be more practical than informational."

She set down her quill.  "Where would you suggest?"

"The only safe place we know that's away from prying eyes," he smirked.

"Hogwarts?"

"Hogwarts.  Gather up what you have.  I believe we will be paying Albus a short visit."

Hermione gathered up the few notes she had taken and put them into her satchel.  Binky was already busy returning the tomes to their rightful places.  "Will he mind us just showing up?"

"Not at all."  Severus had a few other things he wanted to discuss with the Head Master.  Now he wouldn't even have to bother sending out the letter he had written; he could tell it to the man in person.  "We'll Apparate and walk to the castle.  I don't know if the Floo connection to his office is still operational.  Albus closes it every so often to keep out unwanted guests.  You can Apparate, can't you?"

"Of course I can.  I took the test just before my seventh year."

"Good," He could never be sure of these things.  He led her out the doors of the manor to a spot outside of the wards.  "We can Apparate from here.  Think of the area just outside the gates."  With one pop following the other, they both disappeared and reappeared outside Hogwarts castle.

Hermione stumbled as she materialized on the uneven path, staggering into the steady form of Severus.  He caught her before she could fall further.  "Sorry," she said meekly.  "I landed funny."

"Silly girl.  Did you manage to hurt yourself?" he helped her stand upright, but not before getting a whiff of her cleanly scented hair. It was lavender tinged with vanilla and mint, he recognized almost immediately, and it smelled heavenly.  He shoved that thought out of his head.  What did he care if she smelled delectable?  He shouldn't give a damn how she smelled!  She was supposed to be his colleague, not that she would have any interest in him anyway.  He felt like a lecherous old man going after a much younger woman that he could never have.

"I think I did something to my ankle," she carefully shifted her weight to her right leg and grimaced when it twinged with pain.   "It's probably a sprain."

"You ought to be more careful, Hermione," he admonished her as he performed a quick bandaging charm at the limb in question.  "Do you think you could walk on it?"

"I can try," she offered bravely.

"Good," he slipped a deft arm around her waist.  "I have a feeling you won't make it alone."

"Thank you."  She cautiously placed her arm across his shoulders for added support.  Slowly they made their way up to the castle.  Hermione found she really didn't mind Snape's arm being around her waist.  She could feel his strength and sturdiness and it made her feel protected.  At least he hadn't made too much fun of her for managing to get hurt during a simple apparation.

Severus wasn't sure why he was so willing to help the girl.  She had been nothing but a thorn in his side all through her school days and was continuing to be one now as well.  She wasn't as much of a bother now as she had been before, but she still asked questions incessantly. 

His arm settled loosely around her waist, and he decided once again that she was too thin for his liking.  He could feel her hip bone protruding sharply just below his fingers.  He thought back to the past few days he had spent with her and didn't recall her eating much.  He put getting the girl to eat more on his list of things to accomplish in the next few months.  She was too thin for her own good.  It was bearing on unhealthy.

They stopped just before the steps up to the main entrance.  "You won't be able to climb steps, will you?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Probably not," she replied unsteadily.  The pain was getting worse.

Severus thought for a moment.  He could either use a quick spell to lift her or simply carry her.  He chose the second option since he figured she would easy to lift.  He scooped her up and easily climbed the steps.  She was light, as he had imagined.  Too light, he decided once again.  He would see to it she ate better.  They didn't need to have her sick.

"You don't have to carry me," she protested, though she was enjoying it.

"You are very easy to pick up, Hermione.  It is easier to control you this way than casting a spell and having to maneuver you around corners and such."

"If you say so."

"I say so."  Severus set her down lightly in front of the infirmary and knocked at the door. 

Madame Pomfrey opened it and was surprised to see the retired Potions Master and one of Hogwarts past Head Girls standing outside.  "Hello, Severus, Hermione.  What can I do for you?"

"We were on our way to see Albus and Miss Granger had the misfortune of landing on a hole in the road."

"I see.  Put her on one of the beds and I will take a look.  Which ankle?"

Snape picked her up again and moved her to the nearest bed.  "The right one," Hermione replied.

Madame Pomfrey examined the limb, finding it swollen.  "It's just a simple sprain, my dear.  I'll have you right as rain in no time."

"Thank you."

"Now, if you don't mind, I am going to go have a chat with Albus," Severus billowed out of the infirmary.

Thankfully for Snape, the password to the Head Master's office had not changed and he was given immediately entrance.  "What can I do for you, my boy?  And where is your partner?" Albus greeted his guest warmly.

"Hermione managed to hurt herself Apparting here and is with Madame Pomfrey getting her ankle mended."

"Ah, poor thing."  The old wizard nodded gravely.  He had been watching out his window when the two appeared.  It had actually been him who made Hermione trip so she would fall into Severus.  He hadn't meant for her to hurt herself, but from what he had seen, it was all for the better.  He knew the two were a well suited match, both brilliant, yet stubborn.  The only way he would get them together would be to place the subtle, or even not so subtle, hints every so often.

"I wanted to update you on the status of the potion.  We calculated that it would take seventy-seven days and fourteen hours to brew completely."

"Where would that put us for healing the castle?"

"At the earliest, if everything works out as planned, September the tenth."

"Very good," Albus spoke thoughtfully.  "Lemon drop?"

Severus took the proffered sweet to keep the old man happy. He decided to brooch the next subject he needed to ask about.  "Have you ever heard of Helga Hufflepuff's private gardens?"

"Yes, of course!"  The man's eyes twinkled, "Beautiful place, really.  You ought to visit them sometime.  They'd be of great interest to you."

"Then you know where they are located?" he asked hopefully.

"Well, yes, I do, but they are very difficult to access."

"The potion requires ingredients from the garden.  I need to know its location."

"You must go into the Forbidden Forest.  Just beyond the lake, there is a stream that feeds it.  Follow the stream for until you come to a waterfall.  Behind the waterfall is the entrance to the garden.  It is guarded by the ghost of Helga Hufflepuff, so be careful.  She lets in only those she deems worthy."

"That is where we shall have to go.  Thank you, Head Master."

"Anytime, my boy." Albus smiled as the dark man stalked out of his office.  "Give Hermione my regards."

Severus billowed down back down to the infirmary to find Hermione sitting on one of the beds chatting amicably with Madame Pomfrey.  "Come, Hermione.  I found what we came for."

The girl stood up, testing her ankle.  She found it relatively sturdy and without the pain it had before.  "Thank you, again."

"Anytime, my dear.  Just don't make a habit of getting hurt too often just to come and visit me," the Mediwitch turned towards Snape.  "And make sure she's eating properly, Severus.  She's all skin and bones."

"I assure you, I have been feeding her."

Madame Pomfrey pulled him aside as Hermione exited the infirmary.  "She doesn't eat, that one.  Always works herself too hard and forgets about it.  Hopefully you can talk some sense into her."

He raised his eye brows.  So that was what her problem was.  "My house elves make sure food is always available."

"Very well.  Good day, Severus."

"Good day," he followed Hermione out of the room.

"So what did you find out?" she asked excitedly.

"Albus knew exactly where the garden was located."

"Good," she chuckled.  "He would know if anyone knew about it.  Where is it located?"

"In the Forbidden Forest," he watched her eyes grow wide.  "We will visit the kitchens first before we go.  Madame Pomfrey informed me that I am to make sure you eat regularly."

Hermione looked at him, brow scrunched in confusion.  After a few seconds a sudden realization hit her.  "Will she ever give up?"  After seeing a brief look of puzzlement cross her colleague's face, she continued with an explanation, "Madame Pomfrey made it her mission to get me to eat regularly starting my fifth year.  She did everything in her power in attempt to get me three solid meals a day.  She would even send house elves to the library or to my room to deliver food for me when I did not appear at mealtimes, or even just because she could.  I suppose it was true that I did not have a regular eating schedule, but I survived.  It seems she has passed her job to you now."

"I was ordered to talk some sense into you."

She grinned.  "Don't worry; I'll be fine.  It's my nature to work, or study, or read for hours on end, and I forget about simple things like eating.  I've been like that for years.  It doesn't bother me."

"I will agree with Madame Pomfrey for this once."

"Not you too?" she rolled her in exasperation.

"You felt too light when I picked you up," he explained, "and you barely ate anything in the past few days.  It is very unhealthy to withhold nutrients from your own body.  I will not tolerate working with a sickly individual."

"So it is all about you now, is it?  Why can't I get a say in my life for once?"

"That is enough!"  Snape's eyes glittered dangerously as he grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, forcing her to make eye contact.  She gulped in fear.  "You will listen to me and you will listen well, Hermione.  I am only working with you for Hogwarts' sake.  If I am to work with anyone, I will not have them harming their own bodies, whether it is intentional or not."  She moved, preparing to speak.  "Silence!  You will take better care of yourself from now on.  I will personally see to it." 

Hermione glared right back at him.  "You have some nerve."

"Hogwarts is at stake, remember that."  He took his hands off her shoulders and continued on towards the kitchens.

{Author's Note:  I added the part about Hermione getting bugged by Madame Pomfrey to eat because it seemed typical of those of us who are over-achievers.  I happen to be an over-achiever, and I tend to forget to eat when I am concentrating hard.  I wanted to make her seem a bit more human, so hopefully it will come across as such.  She's not anorexic; she just forgets to eat.  I am posting this chapter since I am leaving tomorrow to go to Stratford, Ontario, Canada with the advanced English classes for the weekend to visit the Shakespeare Festival.  It should be interesting.

Azulkan2:  I have to keep Sev a bastard somehow….

RebelRikki:  Once again, I thank you for idea.  That may work to my advantage.

Alanfan:  They'll get there eventually…

Stargazer starluver:  I know it was a bit boring, but it was a transition chapter and the next few chapters should be a bit more enjoyable to read.

Peace, Love, and Chocolate, Nataly Ravenlock}


	11. Bouquet

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this.}

**Chapter 11**

**Bouquet**

The house elves had overheard the conversation through the walls of the castle and packed a picnic basket full to the brim with delectable goodies.  They argued briefly over who would get the honor of presenting it to such venerable wizards as Severus Snape and Hermione Granger, but Dobby came through as always, saying he had been freed by the great Harry Potter and Hermione Granger was a friend of the great Harry Potter.

Snape tickled the pear impatiently, wondering why he was being forced to work with such an insufferable child.  She seemed to bring out the worst in him: his temper, his pent-up anger, his impatience…He realized that he had forgotten to ask Dumbledore if there was anyone else who was as qualified as his current colleague.  He growled to himself as the portrait swung open.  He would chat with the Head Master at a later date about that.  "We need lunch, for two," he spat at the house elves working in the kitchens.

Dobby approached the tall wizard cautiously.  "Master Severus, sir!  We is pleased to see you!  We have picnic basket for you and Miss Hermione!  It has bread and pastries and cheese and fruit and…"

"Thank you," he snatched the basket from the creature without a second thought and left the kitchens.  Hermione was just catching up as he walked out, anger clouding her face.  Severus could hear her muttering something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like 'insufferable, greasy bastard,' but he couldn't be absolutely certain.  "The house elves have packed us a basket to take with us."

Hermione glared at him.  How dare he treat her like a child?  She was twenty-two years old for Merlin's sake!  She fought in the Final Battle and had been on her own since she had graduated from Hogwarts!  The man was impossible beyond any standards.  At the moment, she hated him to no end and would make sure he knew it.

Snape was taken back by the fierceness in her eyes though he did not show it.  It seemed like he had done something wrong.  He wasn't sure exactly what it was, but obviously she had taken whatever he said in the way different from what he had intended.  He had been told to make sure she took care of herself by eating correctly.  Dumbledore had insisted that she was the only one to fulfill the female role in creating the potion, and they could not bear to have anything happen to her that would put them behind the tight schedule they were working with.  That was all he had said to her, wasn't it?  "Well?" he asked just to see what she would do.

"Well, what?" she snapped back at him caustically.

"Are you going to glare at me all day, or are we actually going to get something accomplished around here?"

"I would prefer to get something done if you would stop being an over-controlling, cold-hearted bastard and realize the world does not revolve solely around you."

Snape looked at her for a moment, determined she was absolutely serious, and did the unexpected.  He laughed.  It was not just a simple snicker or a staccato guffaw, but a full, all-out belly laugh. 

Hermione was dumbfounded.  She hadn't meant to be funny.  "I wasn't trying to give you amusement," she spoke sharply.  "I was telling the complete and utter truth."

Severus wiped away the tears of mirth springing to his eyes.  He didn't know why he laughed at her statement, but it seemed appropriate at the time.  It had amused him to see her bristling with rage, eyes flashing dangerously, and ready to lash out at him.  He hadn't seen someone try to do that to him since, well, he couldn't remember the last time.  He put a comradely arm around her shoulders and guided her out of the castle, still chuckling quietly to himself.

Maybe he would keep her around after all.  At least she had the backbone to stand up to him.  It was a novel idea, something that almost fascinated him.  She saw him as human and treated him so.  He supposed he probably had deserved her tongue lashing; he knew he could be a, how did she put it, bastard some times.  It had been quite refreshing to have someone speak their mind to him.

Hermione had been further amazed when he had put his arm around her for the second time that day.  Sure it was only around her shoulders this time though there had been no apparent reason for him to do such a thing.  She decided once again that the man was a complete enigma, but allowed him to keep his arm where he had placed it.

He led her past the Quidditch pitch and down towards the lake.  He stopped under a large willow, making sure there were no students lolling around.  Thankfully they were occupied with classes, allowing the two to pass unseen.  Severus set down the basket and opened the lid to find a folded sheet.  The elves had obviously thought of everything.  He spread the blanket out, placing the large collection of food on top of it.  "You can sit, you know."

She took a spot opposite him on the blanket, still puzzled by his earlier actions.  The thoughts were pushed out of her mind as she served herself a bowl of green salad that had been sprinkled with almonds and a Caesar vinaigrette dressing.  She took the first bite, licking the remains of the dressing from her lips and looked up.  Severus had been watching her closely.  "What?  I'm not going to disappear anytime soon."

He steeled himself for what he was going to say.  "I did not mean to laugh at you a few minutes ago.  What you said surprised me.  It has been a long time since anyone has had the nerve to stand up to me."

"And you found it funny?"

He thought for a moment.  "It wasn't necessarily the context of what you said, but more of who you are that amused me."

"You mean you never expected to be told out by a younger, female Gryffindor?" A small smile graced her lips.

"Correct, as usual."  Snape waited for her reaction.  It was true after all.

She blinked a few times, processing what he had said.  It seemed she had shocked the most feared professor in Hogwarts' history by telling him what she thought of him to his face.  Her grin widened and she felt proud of herself or doing so.  "I suppose I should feel honored."

"Just don't get into the habit of doing that often, Hermione."

"I'll try not to, as tempting as it is."

"Tempting?"  He raised an eyebrow at her.

"You have a nice laugh."

Severus glanced at her again after creating a sandwich from the various meats and cheeses the house elves had packed.  Something was different about her, but he could not exactly place a finger on what it was.  It took him a few moments to decide what had changed.  He no longer looked at her as if she was student, but as if she was an adult.  The teacher/student relationship had transformed to one of equals, man to woman.

If he recalled correctly, she had just complemented him; something about a nice laugh.  That was a first; women rarely complimented him about anything.  It wasn't as if he was overly good-looking or anything.  He was probably just the opposite of what women wanted from a man.  The only appeal he had was that of a dark, dangerous man, which seemed to thrill a few women into pursuing him, and most of them were drunk at the time.

Hermione had finished her salad and set the bowl down.  "So where are Hufflepuff's gardens located, other than the Forbidden Forest?"

"You'll see.  If you are finished eating, we can start our search."

"I'm done."

Severus packed what he could of the food back into the basket, keeping only the container of water and a few pieces of fruit that he tucked into a pocket of his voluminous robes.  As soon as he stepped away from it, the basket disappeared with the pop of a house elf.  He extended a hand to help his colleague up and she took it gratefully.  "All set?"

"I'm ready when you are."

He led her around to the backside of the lake where a small stream fed the larger body of water.  "Albus said to only follow the stream," he explained.

"I've followed this stream before," she spoke thoughtfully, remembering her carefree days before the final battle.  The Golden Trio had escaped to the clearings in the forest numerous times just to get away from life.  "It leads to a clearing with a waterfall.  I've never seen any garden though."

"Did you ever check behind the waterfall?"

"Well, no, of course not.  Why would I…"she trailed off in sudden comprehension.  "It's behind the waterfall!  What a perfect place to hide a garden!  I suppose there must be wards, of course, to keep people from finding it."

"Naturally."  Snape pushed back a few branches sticking into the path and allowed Hermione to pass ahead of him.

The clearing came into view just beyond the trees ahead.  Hermione stepped out onto the soft grass, feeling a sudden freedom from the confinement offered by the thick trees.  "Wow," she whispered quietly.  "It's more beautiful than I remember."

A small waterfall crashed to the rocks below with a never-ending fury of pounding water.  It was just large enough to give people the awe-inspiring feeling, and not too small that they would pass it by without a glance.  No wonder Helga had chosen this place to hide her plants.

"Shall we?" Severus asked, having approached the cascade to search for the best way in.  He found a small gap between the water and the stone face that could fit a relatively slender person, but would not have been obvious to anyone except those searching for it.  He held out his hand to help Hermione cross the uneven stones to where he was standing.

"It's now or never."  She gulped, not knowing what to expect on the other side.

Still grasping her hand, Snape made his way into behind the sheet of water, finding that he did not get wet passing through.  The witch must have put a spell to protect those who wanted to gain entrance from getting soaked.  Smart woman, he decided to himself.  The pair came out in a small area with the waterfall at their backs.  No other exit was obvious.

"Who dares trespass on Helga's domain?" a powerful feminine voice echoed from all parts of the cavern.

"Severus Snape and Hermione Granger," Hermione's voice was loud and clear as she spoke, making her seem more confident than she actually was.

"And what is your purpose visiting here?"

"We need to gather a few important ingredients for a potion," Severus took over the speaking role.

"And which potion would this be?"

"It is called the Founders' Potion."

"Hogwarts has been damaged?" concern was evident in the voice.

"Unfortunately, it has.  There was a battle five years ago in which the control of the wizarding world was decided.  Thankfully, the good side managed to defeat those against them, though not without consequence.  It was not realized that the magic had been draining from Hogwarts as a result of the Final Battle taking place on its grounds, but the effects have become more apparent in the past few months.  The two of us were decided as the ones who would carry out the brewing process."

The voice was silent for a few moments, processing the information.  "Who informed you of this location?"

"Albus Dumbledore, current Head Master of Hogwarts."

"How is dear Albus doing?  I haven't seen him for a while?" the voice's tone lightened at the mention of the man.

Hermione answered.  "He's fine, doing quite well."

"Wonderful!  Tell him to come and visit more often."

"We shall."

The voice was silent for another moment.  "I suppose I should allow you entrance.  You seem harmless enough and you have a decent purpose for being here."  Across the small cavern, a section of the wall shimmered into a passageway.  "This way, please."

Severus realized he was still clutching Hermione's hand and let go.  There had been a slight doubt in his mind that they would not be allowed access to the needed plants.  He was worried he would not be considered worthy enough to enter such a sacred place.  With a quick resettling of his mind, he confidently stepped through the now open passageway with Hermione close behind.

The heavy scent of flowers in full bloom assaulted their nostrils.  It was like they were transported to a gigantic underground greenhouse complete with the ever-present humidity.  Plants in every hue imaginable swayed in a light breeze that had managed to creep through cracks in the surrounding rocks.  Hermione recognized a few species and moved off to get a closer look, leaving the amazed Potions Master standing by himself to gaze in awe.

The girl had noticed some particularly vibrant hydrangeas clustered in a circle to her right.  Not only did they shine brilliantly with their normal pale pinks, purples, and blues, but somehow had gained the ability to create a natural traffic-cone orange blossom.

"Yes, dear, they did that all by themselves," a voice whispered by her ear.

Hermione turned to see a short, stout ghost clothed in a frilly, ancient gown floating nearby.  "You're Helga Hufflepuff!" she exclaimed, eyes widening in surprise.

"Well, yes, of course, I am," the ghost said in voice used numerous times to explain things to small children and those who were not quite right in the head.  "Who else would I be?"

"I just…well…um…I wasn't expecting to ever be able to meet any of the Founders of Hogwarts!  I mean, I've read Hogwarts: A History more times than I can remember, but I never expected to actually meet any of the witches and wizards who created the school."

"That's perfectly understandable, dear," the witch nodded.  She had seen many people in shock at her appearance over the years.  "So what was your name again?"

"Hermione, Hermione Granger."

"Were you in my house?" Helga asked sounding hopeful.

"No, I was a Gryffindor.  I did know many who were though.  It's still a very respectable house."

"Gryffindor is a noble house as well; it's nothing to be ashamed of.  I suppose your friend over there wasn't in Hufflepuff either.  He looks too miserable to be my type of person.  Slytherin would be my guess," the witch decided glancing thoughtfully at Snape, who had moved to the herb section.

"He was the Head of Slytherin House when I attended Hogwarts."

"That explains it," Helga removed a set of knitting needles from her pocket and began to work on what looked like a partial sweater.  "How did a pretty thing like you get stuck with a man like him?  I can see the attraction to a dark, brooding type, but he honestly doesn't look to have much else beyond that."

"We're only colleagues," Hermione explained as she inhaled the heady scent of the orange hydrangea.  It reminded her faintly of tangerines.  "If he had his choice, I would be gone in an instant, but unfortunately for him the potion requires both a man and a woman's participation."

"Men can be like that.  I knew it all too well, dear.  My Cuthbert was a handful in himself.  Bertie had a temper hotter than the fiery sun.  Of course all you had to do was soften him up with some womanly charms and he was a perfect gentleman."  She winked knowingly at Hermione, making the girl blush at what the ghost was implying.  "You might want to give it a try sometime; he looks like a sour one."

"Thank you, but I think I can manage."

"What were you two looking for again?  I could never remember what exactly Rowena wrote down.  Potions were always too complicated for me," the ghost changed subjects quickly, her knitting needles making an ever present click-click-click as her sweater grew a sleeve.

"Mandrake root."

"Yes, yes, let me see here," Helga peered around carefully at all of her many plants.  "I must check to see where I planted it.  Enjoy my flowers while I take a look."  The ghost fluttered over to where Snape was carefully examining her rosemary plants.  "Are they acceptable?"

His head snapped up to glare at the specter.  "Quite.  You are the protector of this garden?"

"I am," she admitted.  Obviously her thoughts of him from afar were correct.  He was not the most pleasant of men.

"I need True Mandrake root in order to brew the potion correctly."

"Your little friend explained that to me.  It should be somewhere in this section if it is still here."

"If?" he repeated, blanching slightly.  He did not like the sound of the ominous 'if.'

"It's a difficult plant to grow," Helga huffed at him.  "And there was that blizzard a few centuries ago that killed some of my beauties.  I honestly do not believe it survived that winter."

"What about the potion?"

The ghost waved offhandedly.  "Surely a man such as you would able to come up with a suitable substitution."

Severus glared menacingly.  He did not appreciate being mocked.  "I would need to consult a few texts before I can make a choice as to which herb would work best."

"True, very true.  There is a small room near the lilac bushes that contains some of the texts we once used and a scattering of more recent ones donated by friends who come to visit me."

Snape raised a neat eyebrow.  The ghost had obviously thought of everything.  "If you wouldn't mind, I would like to make use of those resources."

"Go right ahead," Helga motioned him towards the leafy, tall bushes.  "The door is right behind the one with white flowers."

He walked briskly toward the indicated section and found the white lilac.  Pushing aside some wayward branches, he found a simple wooden door guarding the sacred tomes.  He hoped he could find what he was searching for.  There were a few herbs he knew of that could be substituted for True Mandrake root, but it was more of a question as to whether they would react dangerously with any of the other ingredients.

The room was tiny, yet packed to the brim with books of all types, ranging from ones handwritten by the Founders themselves to modern day articles straight out of the _Daily Prophet_.  There were thick tomes and pocket-sized journals stacked one on top of the other all the way up to the ceiling, on shelves and off.  Finding the text he sought with a flick of his wand, the Potions Master took a seat in a high-backed wooden chair and began to read.

Hermione glanced around the cavern nervously.  She could see no signs of her partner anywhere.  It seemed he had disappeared. Maybe he had been trapped by a lively vine or gnawed on by a Venus flytrap.  It seemed logical that those might happen with the variety of species she saw here.  "Severus?" she called out.

"Don't worry about your man, dear.  I sent him into the research room for a few moments.  I do hope he will find what he is looking for," Helga's ghost floated over to her

"What research room?"

"There is a small one in the back used for quick references.  I think I disappointed the poor thing when I explained that True Mandrake no longer grows here."

Hermione's mind turned rapidly.  "He's looking for a substitution then."

A slam echoed off the rock walls as a dark figure billowed out of the hidden room, the door crashing behind him.  He approached the others, striding easily with his long legs.  "I think I've got it.  Bryony seems to be our best choice.  It uses the root as well and I know I did see some available here."

"I remember hearing about Bryony being used in one of the trial potions at the Ministry once instead of Mandrake," Hermione recalled.  "I don't recall what potion it was, but I do remember it."

"It does not matter.  This is our only hope at the moment."

Helga nodded.  She had being thinking upon the same lines, but knew this man would not take well to her simply giving him the answer.  "Bryony should be over there."  She pointed across the garden to the pale yellow flowers.

Hermione looked at the dark man expectantly.  When he said nothing, she spoke cautiously, "I'll harvest it.  We just require the roots so it should be simple.  Bryony isn't a temperamental plant."

"Fine."  Severus held his tongue for once not making a cutting remark or giving explicit directions on how it should be done.  He watched as she jogged to where the ghost had pointed toward and began to select a plant to start with.  He turned back to Helga.  "Thank you for allowing us entrance to your garden.  It is a magnificent place."

"You are welcome back anytime you wish to visit.  Simply state your name when you enter the cavern and the door will open for you."

Snape glanced at Hermione once more as she cast a simple spell at the Bryony that would take some of the roots off of each plant, leaving enough to allow all of them to survive with minimal damage.  It was a good technique, valuable for anyone who worked with plant on a regular basis.

"Here," the ghost spoke again and he moved his gaze back to her.  "Give these to the girl.  She deserves something."

His face stayed impassive as Helga passed him six blue hyacinths.  "Why should I?"

"All women like flowers, my boy," she explained with a wink.  Helga failed to mention that she had glimpsed into both their minds, finding out about every minor argument that kept happening between the two.  They would both have to compromise one way or another to make this work and she would see that they would.  Flowers had always been able to say more than words ever could, but obviously the man knew nothing of them or he would have seen right through her plot.

Blue hyacinths were commonly used as a way to say "I'm sorry."

{Author's Note:  Would you believe that this entire chapter spawned from my guy giving me a bouquet of flowers?  He randomly decided to show up on my doorstep with two sunflowers, some astromeria, four mini poppies, a gorgeous purple iris, and a red rose.  He's such a sweetie!  I think I shall keep him for a while yet.  Anyway, summer is almost here!  I have two exams, both on the same day, calculus followed by chemistry.  Ick!  But I shall survive.  And then graduation is the 26th and then I will be free!  Well, at least until the 19th of August when I go up to Clarkson University.  Yay!

Damon Lowe:  I know it's slow.  That's how I wanted it to be.  Thank for the 'God, I love this' comment.  It is comments like those that keep me writing.

Geesss:  True.  That is how he is supposed to be.

Velven:  Thank you!  I work very hard to keep them in character as much as I can.  I thought it was an amusing idea for Dumbledore to play matchmaker.  I could picture him doing something like that.  I figured I would put a disclaimer up for the potion.  You never know the people who would try it at home, but I bet there are probably some somewhere.  So I was only being careful because I don't honestly know if it would work or not…  Seriously, I kept remembering my old chemistry teacher who kept telling us not to try things at home only because if he said it and we tried it he could not be held accountable for the results.  He was a great guy.

Adnarel:  Which part was out of character?

Belle Mortis: Thanks!

RebelRikki:  I originally had him sending out the letter, but then changed it when I got the idea for the next chapter.  So I kept the letter, but I am not sure if Hermione will find it or not.  I might just have him burn it as a sort of symbolic thing that he finds later by accident after the relationship has progressed a bit.  Here's a bit about the gardens.  There will be more to come eventually.

Yeoldcrazy1: Is fine, as long as people read the fic, I am happy.  A review once in a while is nice, but as long people are reading it, that is the most important parts.  Thank you very much.  I try very had on my characters and keeping them to how they are supposed to be.

Peace, Love, and Peppermint Tea, Nataly Ravenlock}


	12. Mediation

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this.}

**Chapter 12**

**Mediation**

The sun was almost setting as they entered the Forbidden Forest from the secret cavern behind the waterfall.  "If we hurry, we can still manage to harvest the mulberry leaves so we can start the potion tonight," Severus decided.

Hermione gave her newly acquired hyacinths a grateful sniff.  They smelled heavenly.  She knew he hadn't chosen them on his own and that Helga had most likely talked him into giving her flowers, but she appreciated them nonetheless.  It was a sweet gesture, she would give him that much.

It seemed to her that her ex-professor was actually a human being.  Sure, he had being difficult for the past few days, but once they started to get used to each other, everything would function a bit more smoothly.  She smiled to herself remembering the times in the Gryffindor common room when they had discussed if Snape was a vampire or not.  It seemed the answer to that question was a negative.  She followed down the path, lost in her own fond memories of Hogwarts.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?" his voice broke her out of her reverie.

"Did you comprehend anything I just told you?"

"I'm sorry; I was lost in the lovely scenery."

"Silly girl, forcing me to repeat myself," Severus mumbled and then spoke clearly, over-enunciating each word to make certain she understood him.  "We will Apparate back to Snape Manor, directly into the garden, where we will harvest the Mulberry leaves.  From there, we will prepare them as to the given instructions.  Is that clear?"

"Crystal," she retorted.  She hated when he spoke to her like a child.  It was incredibly demeaning.  How is it that he could be perfectly nice one moment and a complete bastard the next?  She held the flowers tightly in her fist, wanting to throw them back in his face.  She wished she had a chance to do so, but naturally, she had to get along with him just because of the potion.  If it weren't for Hogwarts, he would have been slapped across his abnormally large nose many more times.

"Do you know enough of my gardens to Apparate safely?"

Hermione thought for a moment.  "I've only been there once and it was later at night, so I didn't get that decent of a look at the entire location.  I could always try though."

"No, don't bother.  It would be easier if you didn't ruin our chances of starting the potion tonight by splinching yourself."

She glared at him, but Snape did not notice; he was too deep in contemplation of the potion.  How could he be convinced of her incompetence?  What did she have to do in order to gain any respect?  "I am a perfectly capable witch, Severus Snape!  Just because I am unfamiliar with a location that happens to be on your property does not mean I am incompetent!  It's high time you started realizing that this experiment does not revolve solely around you."

Severus glowered back.  The little bitch thought she could speak to him like that!  He would not and could not allow it.  "You may be perfectly capable in the Headmaster's eyes, but you have yet to fully prove yourself in mine."

"All my years as your student did nothing to convince you of my abilities, did they?"

"Despite getting nearly perfect on all the assignments and having almost flawless potions throughout your seven years, there are more things to the art of potion's making than the rudimentary skills I taught you."

"And what about Flamel?  My training with him seems to have no affects whatsoever on your high and mighty opinion," her voice was rising to near hysterics.  "What in the bloody name of Merlin do I have to do get one iota of your respect?"

"You could stop acting like a spoiled child for starters," he crossed his arms over his chest, unimpressed by her outburst.  She was obviously unstable.  He had been amused by her tantrum that morning, but this was going over the limit of what he could tolerate.

Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously.  "You have no right to call me that after you've been slinging insults at me every chance you get."

"Maybe if you didn't take everything as personally as you do, we wouldn't have this problem."

"And once again, you blame on me.  If that's how you want to play, then fine with me.  I'm leaving!"  She stalked away down the path, towards Hogwarts.

Severus didn't bother to watch her go.  She was being difficult again.  Maybe it was simply the certain time of month in which women are known to act inhuman.  He wouldn't be surprised if it was.  He supposed that she was being the goody-goody Gryffindor that she was and going to complain to Dumbledore about him.  Merlin knows how many people have done that before.  It seemed they would not start the potion tonight after all.

He then decided that he should at least follow so that his perspective could be heard as well, even though he knew it would not be of much importance.  Albus was a Gryffindor and all lions sided together.  He gave her a few minutes to arrive first, just to give her the premonition that she outsmarted him.  It didn't take much to boost the little Gryffindor's ego.

Snape wandered down the path back towards the castle, whistling tunelessly.  Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the bunch of blue hyacinths thrown to one side and ground roughly into the dirt with what looked like a boot heel.  Why did women have to be so emotional?  He could not understand their ability to see all things irrationally.  It would make life much easier if she could simply things his level.

The castle was buzzing with life.  Students crowded in the halls, intent on finding their way from the classes that were just dismissed.  They knew enough to allow the ex-Potion Master a clear path.  Getting in his way would cause more trouble than it was worth. Despite that he had retired from teaching a few years before, Professor Snape left a legacy of fear.

No one else was near the gargoyle that patiently stood guard in front of the Head Master's office.  "Cream Puffs," Severus hissed at it, hating that Albus always chose sweets as passwords.  They were easy for a passerby to guess.  The man was incredibly too predictable.

He climbed the stairs keeping his foot steps quiet.  He could hear voices coming from the room, one female and one male.  "He's impossible!  He attempts to be nice and actually cooperate with me, but then he ruins it by reverting back to the obstinate bastard he is."

"Severus is a difficult man, Hermione.  He has had a rough life which has only gotten slightly better in recent years."

"That does not mean I should be belittled at every given instance."

"That is his nature.  Severus does not take well to working with others.  He feels he knows more than everyone else in his field, which is true.  There are not too many that know more about Potions than he does."

"It isn't just the potions, sir.  He derides everything I do, whether is be a reaction or a habit or even my ability to Apparate."

"I am sorry, my dear girl.  You are the only one strong enough to deal with him."

"No," a waver could be heard in her voice.  "I cannot deal with him for ten months if I am going to be constantly insulted."

"You are only hope for the female counterpart.  You have more potions knowledge than most females.  There are few females in the potions field and they are even less compatible than you seem to be with Severus."

"Then tell him that he better start giving me the respect I deserve or you are going to find yourself someone else to make your potion, even if the school is at sake.  Normally, I would put my differences aside, but he is too impossible.  Good day, Head Master."

The door swung open, almost crushing Severus against the wall.  Hermione stalked out, hands balled in tight fists at her sides.  She didn't even notice him standing and waiting as she took the stairs two at a time going down.  The man was a right bastard.

"You may come in now, Severus," Dumbledore's voice called from the office.

Snape billowed in with his usual flair and sat down gracefully in a squishy red chair.  "Well, what has the little twit tried to tell you?"

Albus folded his hands atop of his desk.  "Lemon drop?" he offered cheerfully.  When Severus declined, he continued in a more serious tone.  "The problem is very obvious, my boy.  Both you and Hermione are fighting for control of the situation and neither is willing compromise very easily."

"You mean she thinks she is better than she actually is and expects me to relinquish some of leadership role just because she is an insufferable know-it-all."

"That is your problem.  You are treating her as a student still while she is most certainly not.  She graduated four years ago and spent three of those years under the tutorage of Nicholas Flamel, whom I know for a fact that you think highly of."

"She may have studied under him, but that does nothing for her practical skills."

"She is one of the most brilliant witches to ever pass through these halls."

"Test scores have nothing to do with practical experience."

"I wouldn't be sure of that, my boy."

Severus glared.  He hated when Albus did this.  Yes, Hermione may have had the highest test scores in the history of Hogwarts and she may have studied under Flamel, but she did not have the finesse that a complex potion such as this one required.  "I would have preferred if she had more experience.  Four years out of school, even with her test scores and tutelage under Flamel, is not enough.  Couldn't you have found an older witch?"

Dumbledore paused, sucking thoughtfully on his lemon drop.  "Unfortunately for you, Hermione is the only choice we have, Severus.  She knows more about potions than any other witch in England.  Not only does she have the highest scores and Flamel's training, but she fought in the Final Battle against Voldemort working as both a warrior witch and a Mediwitch as well as a trained Animagus.  She is also a member of the Order, which is important as well.  It would not do for Lucius Malfoy or any of his people to know that Hogwarts was failing."

"I see your logic, Head Master, but I still do not like it.  She acts like a spoiled brat."

"And from her opinion, you do not act much above that either."

Snape's eyes narrowed.  "She doesn't listen to me."

"Why should she?  Have you given her any good reason to listen?"

"I was her professor for seven years.  That enough should be good reason."

"Yet to her it is not because she feels she deserves a bit better."

"What do you want me to do?" his voice was dangerous sounding, but Albus knew the man would not harm him.

"Give her a chance, Severus.  Treat her like an equal.  I know the potion has to sit until Midsummer's Eve, since that day imbues it with special powers.  Take a few days to get to know her before you start.  It might make your work more bearable."

"Fine, I will give her a chance, if only to humor you."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily.  "I knew you would see it my way.  Now go find her.  I have a feeling she might be in the library."

Snape swooshed out of the office in the same way he came in after wishing the meddlesome man a good day.  How did he expect him to deal with a troublesome little chit who thought she knew everything?  His life was difficult enough without having to play baby-sitter to the girl.

The halls were empty this time with all the students in their respective common rooms.  He doubted that many would be in the library at this time of night, just before dinner.  He found Hermione where Albus had said she would be: curled up in an over-stuffed armchair, book in hand.

He studied her for a moment, wondering why it was so hard for her to simply obey his orders.  She was a Gryffindor, which did account for something.  The lions were notorious for not being able to follow simple directions.  She was brilliant, he would admit as much.  After contemplating that fact for a few minutes, he came to a conclusion that his mind did not like having competition, especially when the competition was female.

"Hermione," he said her name to get her attention.

She didn't look up from her book.  "Yes, Severus?"  Her voice was cold, nearly making him shiver with its frigidity.

"Albus suggested that we take a few days to get to know each other first before beginning work on the potion."

"And what gave him that brilliant idea?" She finally glanced up, fixing him with an icy glare.

"I believe he figured that instead of having us fighting constantly despite our attempts to work together, that we should work it out for ourselves since there are no others to take our places in creating this potion."

"Right," she placed a bookmark on the page and closed the book.  "Where do we begin?"

"If you don't mind too terribly much, I would prefer to get out of the castle while all the students are here.  It would not be acceptable for any of them to over us."

"Fine.  Did you have any ideas as where we might go?  I honestly would prefer neutral ground instead of your manor."

"I know of a decent Italian restaurant nearby if you wouldn't mind Apparating there.  It is just outside of Hogsmeade."

"That would be acceptable," she stood up.  "Let me put my book back first and then we can go."  She raced off to a shelf and quickly found the spot where she had pulled it from.  "All done."  They walked out of the castle in silence, neither wanting to begin the discussion until they had arrived.

Severus held out his hand toward her.  "It is easier if I Apparate for both of us.  I am more familiar with the location."  She nodded, placing her hand in his.  Severus pulled her close, wrapping both arms firmly around her as he Apparated to in front of the restaurant.

Hermione could smell the scent of herbs combined with the slight musk from being in the dungeons on his clothing.  Though she didn't want to touch him like that at the moment, he did smell good.  At least the man had some redeeming qualities, even if he was a bastard.

Snape could feel her fluffy hair tickle his nose and he caught a whiff of the lavender and vanilla scent he recalled from earlier.  She may be difficult to deal with, but she did fit nicely in his arms.  He quickly pushed that thought from his mind.

A magically lit neon sign glowed fluctuating colors, giving name to the building.  Benito's was well known to the wizarding world and even to the Muggles every so often when they accidentally stumbled upon it. Severus was forced to let go, but did offer the girl an escorting arm to enter the restaurant.  Hermione took it reluctantly, allowing him to guide her inside.

{Author's Note:  I know this took a long time and I do apologize.  Life was giving me hell.  First I had my high school graduation on the 26th of June at which I was forced to write a speech and present it.  The following day was my party that we had to plan for.  On top of this, I just took my road test and passed, so I was freaking out about that for a while until the actual test.  And I got a really awesome summer job at the Sterling Renaissance Festival at the Coin Mint booth.  I get to wear a costume and talk in a funny accent to complete strangers!  Yay!

Stargazer starluver:  I figured Hufflepuffs were generally happy people, so Helga should be too.  I've also learned I am very good at writing arguments, hence this chapter.  I do enjoy my warped sense of humor though.

Reina: Thanks!  Unfortunately Graduation means no marching band…sigh

Oracle Phoenix: Thanks!

Yeoldcrazy1: I thought Helga was amusing.  You are correct, reviews make me want to write, though sometimes I write for the hell of it.  Unfortunately, they are back to open hostility again, but not for long.

Tomzgurl77:  Thanks!  I liked the ending too.

RebelRikki:  The last line was something I worked the entire chapter around…Yes guys can be sweet, but they can also be pains…

Winter Fae:  I work very hard on character development.  It's something I pride myself in.  I hate the one-sided characters that don't act how they should.

Adnarel:  Thanks!

Azulkan2:  Thanks!  I love gardening and plants in general.  I have a gorgeous black hollyhock that's in full bloom right now.  It makes me happy.  It sort of took over the garden though.  It started out as this little twisted plant that grew sideways instead of up and now it's over five feet tall and probably equally as wide around with tons of pretty flowers.

Peace, Love, and Crackers, Nataly Ravenlock}


	13. Getting To Know You

{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this.}

**Chapter 13**

**Getting To Know You**

The matronly waitress led them to a private table in the back corner of the restaurant, handing out the menus with a smile showing that she assumed too much about the couple.  Hermione immediately decided that she was obnoxious.

The table was situated in a corner where they could easily view the other patrons, yet was secluded enough that few would bother them or even notice their existence.  Faint strains of Italian opera covered any irritating bouts of silence.  It was a perfect place to talk.

Severus ordered a bottle of wine before the waitress could bustle away.  It appeared after she had gone with a pop in the middle of the table along with two glasses.  "You've never been to a wizard restaurant, have you?" he asked, noticing her reaction.

"No," she shook her head.  "I don't think the Leaky Cauldron counts as one."

"Then you are in for quite a treat.  Benito's is one of the best there is.  Any of their Italian dishes are top-notch."  Severus decided that he would at least try to be polite lest he receive another lecture from Albus.  She would most likely tattle if he was not a perfect gentleman.  "To order, just tap your wand on the dish you would like," he demonstrated, placing the tip of his wand over the veal saltimbocca.  It appeared in front of him, steaming slightly and served with a side of pasta.

"What is that?"

"Veal Saltimbocca," he explained, but she was still obviously puzzled.  "A thin slice of veal covered with fresh sage leaves, wrapped in prosciutto, and sautéed in a butter-wine sauce."

"Oh," she studied the dish critically.  It did look good, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to try it.  Maybe some other time she might, but not at the moment.  With a flick of her wand she ordered shrimp parmesan, an obvious offspring to the favored veal and chicken.  It materialized on the table within seconds.  "Wow."

"Surprised, Hermione?"

"It's just something new."

Severus uncorked the wine and poured a splash in his glass.  He swirled it around, checking the color and sipped it lightly.  With a decisive nod, he decided that it met his approval.  "Would you care for any?"  He refilled his glass.

"I'm usually not much of an alcohol drinker," she admitted

"One glass never hurt anyone.  It's a good vintage, but it is your choice."

"I suppose I'll try a little."

He poured a decent amount in her glass.  "To Hogwarts."

She tapped her glass on his.  "To Hogwarts," and took a sip.  It was a dry red with a taste of rich plum, vanilla, and spice, complimenting her shrimp nicely.  The dish itself was a marvelous combination of exotic flavors.  She had tried chicken and veal parmesan, but the shrimp was in a whole new category.  "This is delicious!"

"Of course it is.  Did you honestly think I would bring you to a place with inedible meals?"

"Well…" she smiled, "Considering your previous behavior, I wouldn't be surprised.  You might have done it just to spite me."

So that was how she thought of him.  "True, except that I was told by a higher authority that I had better start getting along with you and taking you to a dingy, unpleasant place would do nothing to better our relationship."

He was making sense, Hermione decided to herself.  "So where do we go from here?"

"I have the Bryony root, which we shall use in place of the Mandrake.  I would like to start this section of the potion so we will at least have it begun and can free up time searching for the remaining ingredients."

"Which means we will have to do a bit of research and traveling."

"Correct.  We will have to go to Rome for the myrtle, but that should not be a problem.  My family owns a villa in that area which we can stay at while harvesting what we need."

"I've always wanted to go to Italy," she said wistfully.

"Why?  It's just another country," his voice was serious.

"Severus!" she looked appalled.  "How can you say that?"

"It is."

"But there's Venice with the canals and the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican!  It was the home of the Renaissance, for Merlin's sake!"

"Yes.  Many countries have canals and churches," he spoke solemnly.  He was joking but she didn't seem to realize that.  Well, she was a Gryffindor after all.

She glanced at him with an odd glint in her eye.  "But Italy has cannolis and gelato."

Severus returned her gaze, sounding relatively surprised, for a Snape that is.  "You never seemed like a person who enjoyed sweets."

"I usually don't.  A few miles from where I grew up was a small Italian bakery run by an old lady and her daughter, and they had the most fantastic chocolate chip cannolis.  Mom used to send me one every so often," she trailed off suddenly saddened by the memory of her mother and all the events connected to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.  If anything, he didn't want to deal with a hysterical woman, especially in a place with a large crowd of people.

"I'm fine," she finished the last piece of her shrimp with a sharp spear of her fork and took a drink of the wine.

Snape tactfully changed the subject.  "Would you care for desert?"

"No, thank you.  The meal was rather filling."

He shrugged and pointed his own wand at the menu.  A plate appeared in front of him piled with something Hermione quickly recognized as tiramisu.  It looked heavenly and she could detect the faint, delectable scent of espresso.  "Regretting you didn't order one?" he asked only after he noticed her watching him intently.

"I, well…yes.  It looks delicious.  I mean, I know I shouldn't, especially after the huge dinner, but…" 

A second spoon appeared near his plate.  The chefs had overheard her wishing.  "Try some."  She looked at him questioningly.  "Go right ahead.  I assure you that I did not poison it."

She took a small spoonful and licked it off.  "Mmmm…" she sighed.  "It's heavenly."

"Hence why I ordered it," he grinned in spite of himself.  It was nice to see her eat for a change.  At least she was having fun and not arguing with him like most of their past conversations.  It was a nice change.  She could be nearly pleasant when she put her mind to it, almost to the point of being tolerable.

The tiramisu was finished in silence.  "Thank you," Hermione whispered.  "I enjoyed the dinner."

"As did I," he stood up and helped Hermione out of her chair.  "Come.  I have an idea of something you may like."  He escorted her out of the restaurant.

"You didn't pay," she realized as they stepped into the cool November air.

"They know me and know well enough to simply bill my account."

"Oh."

"Come closer.  I'm going to take us somewhere else."

She stepped nearer to him and Severus pulled her in close.  He noticed her scent was now tinged with Italian spices.  They appeared a few seconds later in an empty, grassy field.  "Where are we?"

"Shh," he motioned her to be quiet.  A quick glance around showed no one else was in the area.  "Just wait."

Within moments, the soft strains of music tickled her ears.  A flute arpeggio flew gracefully over the long sustained note of a horn.  The steady thrum of the tuba and bass held the bottom while clarinets and violas came in with a daring counter melody that was soon echoed in the trumpets.  The saxophones added their own line, blending and balancing with the cellos while yet another melody was introduced by the violins and countered with the trombones.  Through all of this the steady beat of the percussion was interlaced and ever moving.

Hermione stood in awe, trembling at the sound.  "It's so beautiful."

"I know."

"What is it?"

"The playing of the starlight.  Every night as the stars come out, the faerie folk welcome their return by music.  It is believed that they can play the sunrise and sunset, coaxing the sun above the horizon and lowering it down when the day is done."

"Wow," she closed her eyes, letting herself get lost in the sound.  A slight tremor fluttered through her unnoticed.  The intricate music blocked out any feelings of the chilled night air.

Severus was less influenced by the emotions of the orchestra and noticed that his counterpart was shivering from the temperature change even if she did not realize it.  He took pity on her, not wanting a sick woman to take care of, and slid his arm around her shoulders.  It was the only quick way he could think of keeping her warm without disturbing her or the faeries.  Yes, a warming spell could have worked, but the magic would interfere with the song.

She snuggled close, feeling his warmth without fully comprehending where it came from.  The music had enthralled her, leaving her happily floating in a carefree world.  All too soon for her liking the symphony came to a close, leaving only the silent night sky and the chirruping of the crickets in its wake.

Hermione slowly awoke from her daze, blinking her eyes to clear away the fog that surrounded her mind.  "That was amazing."

"I know.  I thought you might enjoy it."

"I did.  Thank you."

"You are welcome," he glanced down at her and came to the conclusion that she was not aware of his arm around her shoulders.  He kept it there, if only to keep her warm.  He would have to remember that music seemed to calm and make her more manageable.  She was as temperamental as himself which was not a good combination in any situation.  At least she was being more tolerable.

Hermione sighed heavily.  The music had been breathtaking even though she could not see the performers.  Severus had wonderful tastes in both food and after dinner entertainment.  She wondered how many other people had ever heard the faeries play for the starlight.  It was actually rather romantic if she thought about it.  Who ever would have thought that Severus Snape, the dreaded Potions Master, would have such a unique other side to him?  In class, he acted like a mean, sarcastic, over-grown bat, but now, he was almost being nice.

She shook her head and allowed him to lead her down a path though a small patch of woods.  The man was an enigma.  For a few hours, he was insufferable and then he transformed to a gentleman.  She figured by breakfast he would do something else to set her off again.  Whatever Dumbledore had said to him was obviously working.  The ancient wizard deserved a special thank you note.

Snape Manor came quickly into view over the tops of the trees.  So that was why he knew about the faeries; they were on his property.  She wondered if he had paid them to play like they had, but supposed he wouldn't have had the time to hire them before dinner.  Maybe they were permanently hired or even enslaved in the worse case scenario.  The wine was making her mind fuzzy and she giggled at the thought of Snape attempting to put human-sized shackles on a swarm of buzzing faeries.

"Hmm?" he asked her, wondering what she found amusing.

"How did you get the faeries to play?"

He smiled, though she couldn't see it in the dark.  "I did nothing.  They have always been there.  My great-great-great grandfather offered them refuge on our lands at a time when they were being hunted.  They have stayed ever since.  It is one of the perks of this house."

"I see that."

Severus escorted her inside the house and up to her room.  He wasn't sure what to say.  She was a decent person when she was not talking nonstop, but Slytherin tact would not allow him to tell her that.

Hermione spoke first.  "Thank you for the wonderful evening.  I really enjoyed it."

"You are very welcome.  Whenever you wish to go out of the house for a while, we can."

"I shall keep that in mind," she smiled shyly.  "I'm sorry about earlier.  My temper just got the best of me.  I was taking everything too personally for my own good."

"It is quite alright.  I know I am not the easiest person to deal with, but I do believe it would be for the best if we made amends."

"I second that.  The Potion should be top priority, not us."

"That was my thought as well," he paused as she tried to cover her yawn.  "I shall bid you a good night.  You are obviously tired, as am I.  We shall start the brewing process tomorrow by harvesting the mulberry leaves at sunset."

"Good night, Severus."

{Author's Note:  The playing of the starlight, sunrise, and sunset was taken from a book called The Phantom Tollbooth.  I honestly do not remember who wrote it, but it is a fantastic novel.  I read it about six years ago and that is one of the parts that I still remember.  And yes, the title from this chapter is from the King and I.  It was appropriate, even though I dislike that musical.  I apologize to anyone who does like it, but that is my opinion.  I am now a Pretzel Wench at the Renaissance Faire!  Yay for me!

SnapeRox, Stargazer Starluver, hpfan7878:  Thanks!

Winter Fae:  Here's something else for you to read!

Velven:  I like portraying Dumbledore as a schemer.  It makes life interesting.  I did the scent thing on purpose, namely because I love how guys smell.  They always smell good.  Well, most of them at least.

RebelRikki:  Exactly.  The straw that broke the camel's back is correct.  She had been harassed by both Madame Pomfrey and Sev earlier in the day, twisted an ankle, you know the drill.  It all just builds up and it doesn't have to be a major thing.

Peace, Love, and Pretzels, Nataly Ravenlock}


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